Palliative Care & Advance Directives: A Plan for Future Care
Ideally, advance directives should be set long before an individual needs palliative care, ensuring that their wishes are honored, even if they’re unable to speak for themselves. However, if you or a loved one has entered palliative care without these directives, it’s still possible to document care preferences to maintain a sense of control and comfort. The palliative care process can also offer the opportunity to revisit and reaffirm that any existing directives align with current needs and values.
What is Palliative Care?
People of all ages seek palliative care to relieve the symptoms of a critical illness or injury while recovering. Palliative care is not the same as hospice care, but it still requires a team of highly-trained physicians and nurses to tend to a patient’s medical needs. Additionally, working in tandem with a medical team, caregivers can provide non-medical palliative care to help clients stay physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually comfortable and at peace while recovering.
Related Reading: How Palliative Care is Different Than Hospice
What Are Advance Directives and Why Are They Important?
Advance directives are legal documents that declare your personal medical decisions regarding your care if you were to become incapacitated. Many people are more familiar with the acronym DNR, which stands for Do Not Resuscitate. This type of advance directive prevents doctors from reviving patients according to their wishes.
While receiving palliative care, clients often reassess their values and healthcare preferences, making this an ideal time to establish or update advance directives. By defining these directives during palliative care, clients ensure that their ongoing treatment aligns with their wishes, reducing unnecessary interventions and providing peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones.
How to Plan For Future Care Preferences
Knowing where to start with your future care preferences can feel like taking a stab in the dark. However, the following list can help you take the first steps toward establishing your advanced directives and making them known:
- Explore your personal values regarding your healthcare preferences if you cannot express your wishes at some point.
- Who do you want to make your medical decisions for you if you aren’t able to?
- Begin the conversation with your physician and your loved ones.
- Complete an official advanced directives form and share copies with your physician and family members.
- Review and update your wishes annually.
Planning for the future, especially if it’s while dealing with a painful or debilitating condition, can be challenging at best. Connect with Visiting Angels of Matawan to tap into a support system full of care and compassion. We’re happy to help you work toward your goals and connect you with the resources you need along the way.
Palliative Care Services With Visiting Angels of Matawan
Our palliative care services address our clients’ physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Visiting Angels of Matawan caregivers are dedicated to offering our companionship and compassion at every step. If you’d like to learn more about our senior home care services, including palliative care, contact us to schedule a free consultation.