Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning is the process of thinking ahead and preparing for your future care needs.
There may come a time when you are unable to speak for yourself. Advance care planning helps you take control by communicating what you would want in the future. This can include answering questions, like:
- What treatments would you agree to or refuse? Under what circumstances?
- Would you accept life support? Under what conditions?
You are encouraged to write down your wishes and to talk to your family, friends and health-care providers. You may also want to talk to a legal professional.
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Advance care planning helps by:
- Giving you the peace of mind of knowing someone you trust will make decisions if you cannot
- Guiding the people close to you if they need to make difficult decisions on your behalf
- Promoting open communication between you, your decision maker and your care team
At Baycrest, we specialize in the care of older adults and their changing needs. We believe that advance care planning is an important part of your overall care plan.
You can talk to your care team at any time about care and treatments that agree with your wishes, values and beliefs. The following tips can help you prepare for that discussion.
Think about your beliefs and values
Think about what gives your life meaning. What matters most to you?
Learn about your medical conditions
Talk to your health-care team about what you might expect in the future. Consider any possible treatments or decisions you might face.
Find out who your substitute decision maker is
Everyone in Ontario automatically has a substitute decision maker (SDM). For most people, that is your closest relative. You can find out who your SDM is at Advance Care Planning Ontario. You can also consider giving someone you trust a power of attorney to make financial or health-care decisions for you.
Talk about what you want
Make sure your SDM understands your wishes and why you made those choices by talking or writing to them, recording a video or communicating to them any way you prefer.
Record your future care plans
If you choose to record your advance care plan, you can write your wishes down and make sure your SDM and health-care team know about it. Advance Care Planning Ontario has an online workbook that can help.