This post was written by Erica Downing, MSW, LBSW, specialist, Advance Care Planning.
January often brings resolutions about what we would like to do throughout the year. Among the vows to exercise more, drink more water and be more mindful, we want to challenge you to set the goal of completing your advance care plan.
We never know if or when a sudden accident, illness or disease progression may take away our ability to communicate with those who matter most to us and our care teams. When it comes to your healthcare, you can, and should, speak up and have a say in your care. Advance Care Planning (ACP) puts you in the driver's seat and ensures that your voice is heard, even when you cannot communicate. It is important for everyone 18 years and older.
How to get started
Not sure how to start thinking or talking about your wishes? That’s okay, we are here to help. Here are some things to consider when starting the process:
One of the most important parts of ACP is choosing who you trust to carry out your wishes or make decisions on your behalf if you cannot. This person would be your healthcare representative. Your healthcare representative(s) should be able to:
- Be willing, able and available to be your healthcare representative
- Talk to you about your goals, values and preferences
- Follow your choices, even if they do not agree with them
- Be able to make decisions in difficult moments
We also encourage you to pick one or more back up healthcare representatives in the event your primary is unavailable or unable to act in their role.
Once you have decided who you would like to be your healthcare representative, you should talk to them about:
- What would happen on a good day
- What will help you most to live well, at this point in your life
- What cultural and/or spiritual beliefs are important to you
- What have you learned from experiences with friends or family who could not make their own decisions
- Do you want to focus on treatments that keep you alive or focus on quality of life
Resources to support your ACP journey
After you’ve had a chance to choose a healthcare representative and think about the answer to the questions above, the next step is to put those answers in writing. At Parkview Health, we believe advance care planning is an important part of providing you with excellent care. We have different options to help you get started in the way that fits your needs.
- MyChart: By navigating to the Advance Care Planning page via the main menu, you can complete questionnaires (both for those who matter most and your care team), schedule an appointment with a certified ACP facilitator, and review available resources.
- Online ACP Experience: Parkview Health has partnered with WiserCare to offer an online ACP platform that allows you to walk through the ACP process at your own pace. At the end of the module, an advance directive and values statement will be generated for you, based on the information you provided.
You will need to print out your advance directive and have two witnesses or one notary watch you sign the document. Once that is completed, you can upload your completed advance directive and values statement to your medical record via MyChart. You will find our online experience on the ACP page in MyChart by clicking the “Begin without appointment” link.
- In person: If you would like to meet one-on-one with a certified ACP facilitator, you can make an appointment either via MyChart or reach out to us at the contact information below.
There is no cost associated with completing our online ACP experience or meeting with us in person. If you would like to learn more about ACP prior to completing the process, you can access the ACP page on the main Parkview website at parkview.com/advancecareplanning. Here you will find information on how to contact our team, frequently asked questions, previous blog posts and access to the online ACP experience.
New Year’s resolutions are about taking control of your future. Advance care planning makes sure your voice is heard, no matter what. We encourage you to learn more about ACP and take the steps to begin your own ACP journey by contacting our team. We can be reached by phone at 260-266-1481 or by email at [email protected].
