What is advance care planning
All adults should really be thinking about what they would want if or when they are not as well as they are now and think about what their care should look like.
If we don’t think about this and talk about it to our family and friends then we will not get want we wanted if we become sick and unable to tell others ourselves.
Starting to talk
Knowing what is important and how you see things will make it easier to talk about the best ways of looking after you and treating you now and in the future
Everyone is different. Are you someone who likes to plan ahead? Or do you feel it is better to take things a day at a time? It can be really hard to bring up in conversation, especially as it feels like a taboo subject, but talking about it and writing down is important.
The informal part of advance care planning
- What is important to me now and for the future?
- What would I want people who care for me to know?
- What concerns have I got for the future, what do I fear happening?
This is called an advanced statement.
Think about nominating a named spokesperson. This is someone who can speak for you if you couldn't speak for yourself.