Advances in medical treatment and care practices mean that more Ontarians can expect to live longer in their communities with more complex health conditions.
As a result, parents, adult children and families will be called on more often to make increasingly challenging, complicated health care decisions for their loved one.
A study of older adults reported that as many as one in four older adults may require someone else to make healthcare decisions at the end of life.
The question is whether people understand how health care decisions are made in Ontario and the key role advance care planning (ACP) conversations can play in preparing the patient and his/her substitute decision maker (if the patient is mentally incapable) to make those decisions.
Waterloo Wellington’s Conversations Worth Having (CWH) is a local ACP project focused on raising awareness and equipping the general public, community professionals and health care providers with the correct information they need to start these conversations.
National Advance Care Planning Day (ACP Day) is April 16.
This event provides the perfect opportunity to join the ACP movement taking place locally, provincially and nationally.
A number of FREE events are planned to recognize ACP Day.
For more information visit acpww.ca/News-events.
