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Advance Care Planning: Preparing for Your Future Healthcare

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3 minute read

Are you prepared?

All Albertans should prepare for a possible scenario where they may be unable to make their own medical decisions, especially if they are older or have chronic or serious illness.

If you became seriously ill, would your family, caregivers and healthcare providers know how you would want to be cared for? Who would speak for you if you were too sick to speak for yourself?

Learn more about advance care planning.

Advance Care Planning

A way to help you think about, talk about and document wishes for health care in the event that you become incapable of consenting to or refusing treatment or other care.

You may never need your advance care plan – but if you do, you’ll be glad that it’s there and that you have had these conversations, to make sure that your voice is heard when you cannot speak for yourself.

Goals of Care Designation

A medical order used to describe and communicate the general aim or focus of care including the preferred location of that care.

Although advance care planning conversations don’t always result in determining goal of care designation, they make sure your voice is heard when you cannot speak for yourself

Medical Care icon

Medical Care

Focuses on medical tests and interventions to cure or manage a person’s illness, but does not use resuscitative or life support measures.

Comfort Care

Comfort Care

Focuses on providing comfort for people with life-limiting illness when medical treatment is no longer an option.

Resuscitative Care

Resuscitative Care

Focuses on prolonging or preserving life using medical or surgical interventions, including, if needed, resuscitation and intensive care.

Learn about Goals of Care Designation ordersIf you can’t speak for yourself, your Goals of Care Designation helps the healthcare team match your values and preferences to care that is right for you and your healthcare condition.

Personal directive: Choose your decision-makerYour personal directive is a legal document. It names someone you trust to make important decisions for you if you can’t make these decisions yourself.

Keep advance care planning documents in a Green SleeveThis is a plastic pocket that holds your advance care planning forms.

Resources | video libraryGet more information on advance care planning and find more resources to help you or explore our video library.

 

Red Deer Primary Care Network (RDPCN) is a partnership between Family Doctors and Alberta Health Services. Health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, nurses and pharmacists work in clinics alongside family doctors. In addition, programs and groups are offered at the RDPCN central location. This improves access to care, health promotion, chronic disease management and coordination of care. RDPCN is proud of the patient care offered, the effective programs it has designed and the work it does with partners in health care and the community. www.reddeerpcn.com

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