Planning Ahead & End of Life
In life we prepare for many things – birth, education, marriage and retirement. We may also wish to prepare for a time of failing health and approaching end of life.
Planning ahead or advance care planning
This covers any decision that people wish to make in advance of a change or deterioration in their health. It can include thoughts and wishes about future care, medical care and management, personal wishes and anything that people would want their family or carers to know if they are ever in a situation where they are unable to say for themselves.
Planning ahead is voluntary and decisions need not be made all in one go it might be just about making a start. Furthermore if decisions are made, people can change their minds about these at any time.
It can be difficult to discuss such issues, but for some people and families, this may be very important. Having a clear sense of someone’s wishes and doing as much as possible to plan ahead can give someone the freedom to get on with living now.
Medical, nursing and care teams are able to give guidance and advice; should you wish to talk this through with your doctor or nurse, do make an appointment.
The following resources and websites may be helpful.
Useful websites
Advance decisions to refuse treatment
Useful leaflets are below, however if these are not accessible for you you can go direct to The Conversation Project website here.
Treatment escalation plans
Your GP will want to know what decisions you have made for your end of life care. This will be recorded in your medical record and shared with other healthcare providers. We use a form called RESPECT