FAQs & Myths: Advance Care Planning

 

FAQ's:
1. What is advance care planning?
Advance care planning involves thinking about and documenting your healthcare preferences in case you’re unable to make decisions in the future. It ensures that your wishes are known and respected.


2. Why is advance care planning important?
Advance care planning helps prevent confusion or conflict among family members and healthcare providers by clearly outlining your healthcare preferences and ensuring your voice is heard.


3. Who should engage in advance care planning?
Everyone, regardless of age or health status, can benefit from advance care planning. It’s especially important for individuals with chronic illnesses or conditions that may lead to incapacity.


4. When should I start advance care planning?
It’s best to start as early as possible, ideally when you’re healthy. Major life events, such as marriage, having children, or a new diagnosis, are good times to revisit these plans.


5. What happens if I don’t engage in advance care planning?
Without an advance care plan, decisions about your medical care may fall to family members or healthcare providers who may not fully understand your wishes.



Myths
1. The health care professionals will know what is best for me
Fact: In the U.S. and Canada, without an explicit note in the medical record, every person is subject to all life-sustaining interventions, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and admission to an intensive care unit. So it's crucial to be informed about life-sustaining interventions, to understand their risks and benefits, and to understand how to make our values and preferences known and respected well in advance of an episode of serious illness.


2. My loved ones will know what I want when the time comes
Not necessarily. In a single study, nearly one-third of the participants were unable to accurately predict the end-of-life decisions that their loved one would make when asked to do so.


3. I only need to plan for my end-of-life care when I’m very old or ill
Predicting the future is an impossible task. An accident or a serious illness can occur at any age. By developing a strategy at this time, you can guarantee that an individual you can rely on will make decisions that align with your values and preferences.


4. I told my notary a long time ago that I did not want aggressive care at the end of my life, I’m all set now
The most important part of planning is discussing your wishes with your loved ones. What do you exactly mean by aggressive care at the end of life? If you are not at the end of your life but experience a serious illness, what care would you want to receive?


5. As these are confidential documents, I should keep them in a secret place
These documents are important, so you should keep the original copies in a safe place. But, each person named in the document (e.g., your medical power of attorney) should get a copy as well as your health care providers and any caregivers. But most important, it’s important to discuss openly about what you wrote in the documents!