What is Advanced Care Planning?
Advanced Care Planning involves creation of a personalized End-of-Life Plan, including an Advanced Directive which is a document that outlines your choices for end-of-life care. This Advanced Directive includes, at a minimal, a Living Will and Health Care Proxy (also known as a Power of Attorney for Healthcare). Everyone should have an Advanced Directive, regardless of age or health.
As the documents making up the Advanced Directive are very limiting, it is valuable to have an expanded End-of-Life Plan. This additional planning involves addressing one’s physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual aspects of end of life wishes.
When your desires are known it is more likely that your wishes will be respected and removes the burden from your loved ones in making such decisions, as they have already been made. Knowing that your end-of-life wishes are clearly outlined and documented reduces stress and provides some peace of mind.
Advanced Care Planning
Advanced Care Planning Services include:
Creation of a Living Will that details what you want and do not want at the end of life.
Support in selection of an appropriate Health Care Power of Attorney or Healthcare Proxy.
Completion of a POLST (Practitioner Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) Form
Facilitation of a family meeting where your end-of-life wishes are discussed.
Development of an End-of-Life Peace of Mind Plan that elaborates on the Living Will and covers your physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual choices pertaining to end of life.
Support in compilation and organization of important paperwork to ensure all matters are in place prior to end of life.