Advance Care Planning
If you’re living with a serious illness, planning major surgery or thinking about your future health needs, consider advance care planning. This involves preparing for situations in which you can’t make or communicate medical decisions. Ask St. Bernards Healthcare’s pastoral care staff or clinical social workers to guide you through the planning process and help you document your wishes.
What Is Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning can include:
Your plan should fit your personal preferences and values. While not every care plan looks the same, most include the following elements.
Advance Care Directives
Advance care directives are legal documents that give instructions for your care if you become unable to communicate your wishes. The two most common advance care directives are living wills and power of attorney.
St. Bernards Advance Care Plan Forms
Living Will
This document says what medical treatments you want or don’t want to receive in an emergency. You can choose when different procedures should be used and under what conditions. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, this document doesn’t go into effect unless you are terminally ill or lose the ability to make decisions.
Power of Attorney
If you would like a specific person to make medical decisions for you when you can’t communicate, you can designate your representative in this document. Giving someone power of attorney means they make choices for you when you can’t respond. This document is particularly helpful if something happens that isn’t addressed in your living will.
Visit the Arkansas Department of Human Services website for resources on completing advance care directives. After completing your forms, make copies to give to your doctors and loved ones.
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
POLST documents your medical treatment preferences when you’re faced with a life-limiting illness or health condition that won’t improve. POLST doesn’t replace advance directives. Unlike advance directives, which you can complete at any time, POLST is for people who:
- Are seriously ill
- Have trouble performing routine daily activities
- Receive hospice services
You may complete a POLST form after talking to your doctor about your illness and preferences for medical care. Visit the Arkansas Department of Human Services website for POLST resources and more information.
Organ Donation
If you want to donate organs or tissue, you need to register as a donor. If you have specific wishes about the use of your donation, speak with your care team.
Why Is an Advance Care Plan Important?
Health conditions and treatment outcomes aren’t always predictable. Even patients who are healthy and not in crisis may benefit from making a care plan in case of emergencies.
Some people think an advance care plan isn’t necessary because their family can make decisions for them. However, your family may not understand what healthcare decisions you want, so letting them know in advance is always best. A clear plan can also guide grieving loved ones after they learn of a difficult prognosis or diagnosis. Advance care plans give you and those who care for you peace of mind.
