Advanced Care Planning (ACP)
Ring the Decision Assist National Phone Advisory Service: 1300 668 908 to receive help with advance care planning information.
8am - 8pm
Advance Care Planning is designed to allow people to express their preferences for future treatment and care. To do this, people need to be supported to develop an advance care plan that will guide medical treatment and care if they become unable to communicate or participate in decision making.
Advance care planning is a tool for supporting client–clinician communication. It is a process for planning for future health and personal care whereby the person’s values, beliefs and preferences are made known so they can guide future decision making. It enables the person with dementia's “voice” to be heard so that health professionals and family know what is important to the person even when they lose the capacity to speak for themselves.
The benefits of advance care planning are:
- The person with dementia continues to have a say in their medical care, even once they lose capacity to have a say
- The person with dementia will have peace of mind, knowing that they are more likely to receive the medical treatment they would want, and not receive the treatment they would not want
- Family and friends of the person with dementia are relieved of the burden of having to make decisions without knowing their loved ones choices
- Talking about these things can help to strengthen relationships between the person with dementia and their family and friends.
For more detailed information on Advance Care Planning and Respecting Patient Choices resources, go to the diagnosis pathway and click on 'immediate interventions'.
Respecting Patients Choices Form
The Department of Health and Human Services also provide information and resources on Advance Care Planning. Go to http://www.health.vic.gov.au/acp/advanced-care-plan.htm