Advance Care Planning helps adults at any age or stage of health understand and share their personal values and preferences regarding future medical care. It is a gift you give your loved ones to help them make choices about your care.
It is not a single decision; it is a process that occurs over a lifetime as values and preferences change. Steps in the Advance Care Planning process include:
- Thinking about your wishes for future care if you became seriously ill. Your wishes may be shaped by your experiences, cultural and religious views, your values and your goals.
- Selecting a health care agent – someone that you trust to make medical decisions for you if you can’t make them yourself.
- Discussing your wishes with your health care agent and other loved ones. This step is sometimes difficult, but it is a very important, and may help avoid future conflicts.
- Completing an Advance Care Planning document, like an advance directive or living will.
- Making and sharing copies with your health care agent, physicians and loved ones.
- Periodically reviewing your plan and documents to be sure names, contact information and healthcare wishes haven’t changed.
Have the Conversation about Advance Care Planning
- It’s ALL about what is right for you, not someone else. It is a personal choice.
- Advance Care Planning is a process, not just a document. Continue to review your wishes for future health care decisions if a sudden, unexpected event leaves you unable to communicate or make your own health care decisions, requiring others to step in and make decisions for you.
Need help? Have questions? Need witnesses to assist with the signing of your document?
Call Hospice Alliance at (262) 652-4400 and ask for a Social Worker.
In the meantime, here are all of the tools needed to accomplish a successful Advanced Care Planning experience: