Advance Care Planning
Down with ACP and Still Rockin’ the Vote
L. Raquel Clary-Lantis, D.O.
Life and Death
• The day you are born is usually expected,
anticipated and brings great joy.
• The day you die is often not expected, nor
anticipated and brings great sadness.
Planning
• The birth of a child often involves much
planning and preparation.
• Sudden or chronic illness often involves much
suffering and grief.
• With the illness and possible death of a loved
one, we are never quite prepared…advance care
planning can help.
Why Advance Care Planning (ACP)?
• No one wants to burden their family with having
to make complex medical decisions surrounding
their care.
• When our loved ones are under emotional
strain, these decisions become even more
complex.
• Planning ahead so our family won’t have to is
what ACP is all about.
Advance Care Planning
• ACP is a process of planning for future decisions
surrounding our care, as well as selecting who we
would want to represent us if we were unable to
express these decisions ourselves.
• It is important that we:
– understand potential future situations
– understand the choices we have
– consider what is best for us, taking into account any
particular cultural or religious beliefs
– discuss these choices and plans with those we might
need to advocate for us
When an ACP becomes an AD
• When we do advance care planning, our
decisions can be expressed in a legal document
called an Advance Directive.
• An Advance Directive gives specific instructions
on how we want our medical care directed when
we are unable to do so.
• An Advance Directive is not activated unless
you are incapacitated and cannot speak for
yourself.
Advance Directive
• In Jackson County, Michigan, there are two
types of documents recognized:
– Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
(DPOA-HC)
– MI-POST (Physician Orders for Scope of
Treatment)
DPOA-HC
• Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
allows you to give another person the power to
make health care decisions for you only when
you are unable to.
• This person is called your “Patient Advocate.”
• They must act in alignment with your wishes by
taking reasonable steps to follow your
instructions you expressed when you were able.
Durable Power of Attorney for
Health Care (DPOA-HC)
MI-POST
• The Michigan Physician Orders for Scope of
Treatment is a legal document in which you can
express:
– whether or not you would want CPR if you had no
pulse and were not breathing
– the types of interventions you would want if you did
have a pulse and/or were breathing
– your wishes regarding artificially administered
nutrition
MI-POST front
MI-POST back
When Should You Do This?
• There will never be a time that feels “right.”
• Advance Care Planning is something most of us
don’t want to think about but it is important that
we do.
– It will allow our voice to still be heard, even when we
cannot speak.
– It will help alleviate some of the burden on our
loved ones if they know what we would want.
Appropriate Age for ACP
• ACP is not just for elderly and/or chronically ill
people.
• Terry Schiavo, Karen Ann Quinlan and Nancy
Cruzan were all in their 20s when they had
catastrophic life events that left them unable to
express their healthcare decisions.
Some Birthday Milestones
•
•
•
•
0, the day we are born
10, double digits
13, becoming a teenager
16, getting your driver’s license and choosing if
you want to register to become an organ donor
• 18, becoming an adult…
– Registering to vote
– Advance Care Planning and completing an Advance
Directive
Harrison
• You tube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJdbYyIetw&feature=youtu.be
Eighteen
• When we turn 18, we are legally an adult.
• We can express our own choices by:
– Registering to vote
– Initiating Advance Care Planning
– Completing an Advance Directive
• We can update periodically thereafter whenever we want and:
– When we renew our driver’s license
– When our decisions may change
– When we are diagnosed with a terminal illness
ACP + AD = Honoring Choices
• In the 80s it was “Rock the Vote”
• It is time to start rockin’ the vote again and get
“Down with ACP”
• Linking Advance Care Planning and Advance
Directives with registering to vote when we turn
18 just makes sense.
Need Assistance?
• I’m down with ACP, yes, you know me.
• I’ve got my AD done, now it’s time for fun.
• If you need help, you can contact your primary
care provider who will help or refer you to a
social worker for assistance.
– Including help understanding and completing your
forms
Thank You