Share what matters most

To mark National AdvanCare Planning Week, Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) has urged everyone to share what matters most and communicate their preferences and wishes for future health care.

Advance care planning promotes care that is consistent with an individual’s values, beliefs and choices. It enables someone to make some decisions now about the health care they would or would not like to receive if they were to become seriously ill and unable to communicate their preferences or make treatment decisions.

“Even if you are healthy and well, advance care planning is important. It involves thinking and communicating about your wishes and preferences for future health care,” ACPA national manager Lesley Habel said.

“It’s so important to have the conversation, so you can make sure your decisions and preferences are not forgotten at times when you can’t voice your decisions about your treatment and care”.

Cindy Paardekooper is a Kokatha woman from the far west coast of South Australia, an Aboriginal Consultant for Palliative Care Education, and a South Australian representative on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Palliative Care Advisory Group.

“We support First Nations peoples with advance care planning by delivering cultural capability training to health care providers ensuring health and aged care staff deliver culturally safe, relevant and responsive care.”

“This approach supports our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a yarn and share what matters most when receiving care.”

National Advance Care Planning Week is promoted as a time to share what matters most about your future health care preferences and wishes. Advance care planning means respecting who you are and what you want known at critical times when you can’t speak for yourself – it gives you a voice.”

ACPA advises that:

• Advance care planning ensures your voice is heard so you are not one of the 30 per cent of people unable to make their own end-of-life medical decisions
• 15 per cent of Australians have documented their preferences in an Advance Care Directive, and
• Research shows that advance care planning can reduce anxiety, depression and stress experienced by families and improve satisfaction about the care people receive
• Funded by the federal government’s Department of Health and Aged Care ACPA is the national authority on advance care planning.

ACPA supports individuals and health and aged care providers to ensure people’s preferences and wishes for future health care are known and respected. Head to acpweek.org.au for more information, and to get access to a free starter pack.

For free, personalised advice, phone the National Advance Care Planning Support Service on 1300 208 582 from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.