YOUR VOICE

By Linda Cliff





“Having a voice in decisions about your health care treatment is important.    There may come a time when, due to illness or injury, you are incapable of expressing your treatment wishes to health care providers.  By planning in advance,  you can be sure that your family, friends and /or health care providers know your wishes, and can ensure these wishes are followed.”  

   This is the opening paragraph to the Advance Care Planning Guide developed by the province of British Columbia.   It sounds very official and also touches on a topic that we would rather ignore than discuss.   It is hoped this session will dispel some of these feelings about discussing Advanced Care Planning.  
    Any discussion about care planning begins by thinking about your beliefs, values and wishes regarding future health care decisions.  It has been my personal experience that this discussion between family members can be both lively and reaffirming.  It is a time to share ideas with loved ones and gives you a way of having these discussions in an open and caring way. 

During the presentation (scheduled at SPPC for November 5 10:00am - Noon ) you will learn about: 

 Temporary Substitute Decision Makers
 Representation Agreements
 Advance Directives
 Enduring Power of Attorney 

As capable adults we tend to shy away from such discussions as we feel we don’t need this information now.  My question is why wait?   By working through the process of developing an advance care plan, thinking about your preferences about health care you will open yourself and your loved ones to a rich discussion about what you find important in your life.   It can also be an opportunity to share your faith with others as the discussion easily moves to the spiritual realm as well as the physical.  This is a discussion we should have when we are well.   Please come: 

Presenter:          Dawn Dompierre, RNDate and Time:  November 5 at 10:00am
place:               Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church
                       9296 E. Saanich Rd. (by the airport roundabout).

Everyone is welcome!  Tea and Coffee Provided.


Ed. Note:  Linda Cliff is a long time hospice nurse who has faced the issues of advanced care planning with many patients and their families.