Why Advance Care Planning Matters
Cancer care, or living with any illness, comes with countless decisions to make. As a patient, you should be able to clearly share your wishes with your care team, leading to treatment planning that supports your priorities and preferences. Advance care planning is an approach that helps you think about and plan for the type of care that aligns with your values, should you ever be in a position where you are unable to communicate on your own. All adults, not just those with chronic and serious illnesses, can benefit from engaging in advance care planning.
This process of thinking about and planning for future care can prevent unnecessary stress by mapping a path forward. Advance care planning is a gift for your future self and the people who care about you, so difficult decisions don’t have to be faced without knowledge of your values and wishes. Gaining the tools and resources now to plan for the future ensures your priorities and decisions will be respected by your medical team and others involved in your care.
Basics of Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning is a process that may take place over several conversations. These discussions can happen with different members of your care team, such as a social worker, advanced practice provider, physician, or nurse. During this process, you will have the opportunity to learn about choices for your future medical care and decide how you want to be treated if you cannot communicate your wishes.
The goal of the process is to empower you to take control of your health and plan for the unknown, with the ability to document your wishes. The outcome of these conversations often includes written documents that will be saved in your medical file and shared with those closest to you. An equally important part of the process is determining who you would want to make decisions on your behalf and what those decisions should be. Open communication with those you identify as future decision makers leads to shared understanding about what matters most to you.
While these directives are only used to guide care if you become unable to communicate, they are best discussed when you can think about and share your values and goals with your family and healthcare team. These conversations can feel difficult, but they are essential to help ease the stress for your loved ones if decisions ever need to be made on your behalf.
Common Misconceptions
One of the biggest misconceptions of advance care planning after a cancer diagnosis is that it means surrendering hope or ending treatment. In reality, planning ahead ensures that your future care aligns with your values and preferences, whether that means continuing treatment or focusing on quality of life. These conversations are about empowerment, not limitation.
Similarly, some people may think that writing down their wishes prevents them from choosing a different course of action in the future. However, advance directives can be changed at any time, and you can have advance care planning conversations with your care team as frequently as you need.
Another common reason people avoid advance care planning is the idea it is only for the end of your life. Advance care planning is an important process for all adults to undertake, not just near end of life. Having an open conversation to state your wishes ahead of time offers peace of mind for any number of future scenarios, so you know your decisions will be honored and your loved ones won’t face difficult choices alone.
Finally, some patients may think that they have few choices to make, or that they will rely on their care team to decide for them. Life history, personal values, family, culture, and religion can all play a role in shared decision making. Exploring options can help you identify how you would like to be treated both now and, in the future, if circumstances change.
Tips for Meaningful Conversations
As you consider advance care planning, create productive and meaningful discussions with a few guides:
- Remember you’re not alone: Advance care planning is highly personal, but it shouldn’t be done in isolation. Family and friends can provide emotional support or be a sounding board, and healthcare professionals can guide you through the process of future care planning.
- Share what’s important to you: Your values and beliefs reflect who you are and your principles should inform your healthcare decisions.
- Explore your options: Your cancer care is personalized to you, and advance care planning should be part of that individualized treatment plan. Discussing medical directives openly allows you to maintain control and provides peace of mind for caregivers and loved ones.
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, making it an ideal time to begin these conversations. Whether you are healthy or managing an illness, planning ahead empowers you to make informed choices. Talk to your care team to schedule an appointment for help with advance care planning.
Advance care planning is about clarity, dignity, and empowerment. The process equips patients, loved ones, and care teams to prepare for unknown or unexpected situations. By starting the conversation today, you ensure that your future healthcare plan reflects your values and wishes for whatever lies ahead.