Health P.E.I. launches advance care planning workbook
It will now be easier for Islanders to start the oftendifficult conversation about their own end-of-life care, with the help of Health P.E.I.’s online advance planning workbook. The workbook is designed to help users through the key steps to clearly communicate and outline their wishes for health and personal care.
“It is important for us all to be talking about advance care planning and helping Islanders document their wishes in case they can’t speak for themselves,” said Linda Callard, a Hospice P.E.I. board member. In Canada 60 per cent of individuals believe it is important to talk about end-of-life care, but only five per cent have spoken with their primary care provider about it.
“Many people think that advance care planning discussions are about death and dying, but they are really about how well you want to live,” said Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson.
Health P.E.I.’s interactive workbook includes questions to help Islanders think about the values and beliefs that influence their choice of health-care options. It also features definitions of medical terms they need to know to make informed decisions and other information to help communicate with their care team and family. According to research by the National Advance Care Planning Task Group, advance care planning improves a patient’s overall quality of life, quality of end-of-life care and communicating with families.
Dr. Mireille Lecours adds, “Talking about end-of-life and the care you want or don’t want can be very difficult and overwhelming, especially with family members and loved ones.
Lecours is a provincial palliative care medical consultant.
“As difficult as the conversation may be, we really hope that Islanders will embrace this process and take the time to make an advance care plan for themselves.”
To learn more about advance care or access the planning workbook go to www.healthpei. ca/ advance care planning.