As a Retirement Village or Community Manager in Australia, it is important to be aware of the benefits of Advanced Care Planning, especially during Advanced Care Planning Week, which runs from March 20th to March 26th. This week serves as a reminder for everyone to have brave conversations with their family members, healthcare professionals, and loved ones about their future health preferences, including end-of-life care preferences.
Advance care planning involves taking control of your future health care by making decisions about the medical treatment you would or would not like to receive if you were to become seriously ill and unable to communicate your preferences or make treatment decisions. It is an opportunity to ensure that your wishes are known and documented, providing peace of mind for seniors and their families.
According to Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA), only 15% of Australians have documented their preferences in an Advance Care Directive, despite the fact that over 50% of us will be too unwell to make our own end-of-life decisions. ACPA’s preference is for everyone to have a documented plan and a substitute decision-maker to ensure their preferences are respected. It is essential to understand the difference between an Advance Care Directive and an Advance Care Plan.
An Advance Care Directive (ACD) is a legally binding document that outlines an individual’s specific medical treatment preferences, including any life-sustaining treatments they do or do not wish to receive. An ACD can also appoint a substitute decision-maker (SDM) to make medical treatment decisions on behalf of the individual if they become incapable of making decisions for themselves.
On the other hand, an Advance Care Plan (ACP) is a broader document that outlines an individual’s general wishes and values regarding their end-of-life care. It can include information about an individual’s preferred living arrangements, spiritual or cultural beliefs, and other preferences that may affect their care. An ACP does not have the legal status of an ACD, and it does not appoint a substitute decision-maker.
As a Retirement Village or Community Manager, it is important to support residents in having these conversations with their families or support persons. It is not the role of the Village or Community Manager to force these conversations, but rather to recognise the importance of residents having their plans in order to avoid conflicts between family members regarding end-of-life care decisions.
When an individual’s preferences are known and documented, it can help to avoid disputes and disagreements among family members about what should be done and can also help to ensure that healthcare professionals provide appropriate and meaningful care to residents in their final stages of life.
As a Retirement Village or Community Manager, it is essential to understand the benefits of Advanced Care Planning and support residents in having these brave conversations about their future health preferences.
About Advance Care Planning Australia
Funded by the Australian Government and administered by Austin Health, Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is the national authority on advance care planning. ACPA supports individuals and health and care providers to enable people’s values and treatment decisions to be known and respected.
For more information, visit www.advancecareplanning.org.au