ADVANCE CARE PLANNING
Two of the founding members of our organization have spent the last three years working on research projects aimed to understand the barriers and facilitating factors experienced by South Asian (SA) seniors when engaging in ACP discussions. While working on these research projects they determined that ACP is a novel topic for the SA community and the general population lacks awareness of ACP. Thus, our team identifies an increased need to develop a program centered around increasing ACP awareness while being mindful of their cultural and religious norms that may present a barrier in engagement
What is ACP?
As we age, our minds often become a battleground for unwanted thoughts and lingering uncertainties. What will happen if I am not there tomorrow? Will my family know how to handle difficult decisions? Will they honour my wishes, or will their emotions and personal beliefs take precedence? These questions can be unsettling, but there is a way to address them with clarity and confidence. Advance care planning provides a structured and thoughtful approach to ensuring that your healthcare decisions are respected and honoured, allowing you to live your later years with peace of mind, free from the weight of uncertainty.
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Advance care planning empowers individuals to take control of their future medical care, ensuring that their personal values, preferences, and goals are clearly articulated and legally documented. It eliminates the ambiguity that often arises when a person is unable to communicate their wishes, preventing situations where loved ones or healthcare professionals are left guessing—or worse, making decisions that may not align with what you truly want (Sudore et al., 2016). Simply put, advance care planning is about having a voice when you may no longer be able to speak for yourself (Gallagher, 2006). It allows older adults to maintain their autonomy, dignity, and self-determination even in the face of unforeseen medical challenges.
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Beyond simply expressing preferences, advance care planning facilitates the completion of essential legal and medical documents that provide clear guidance for family members and healthcare providers. These critical documents include a will, power of attorney, living will, representation agreement, advance directive, pre-paid funeral plan, and informal caregiving arrangements. With these safeguards in place, you can rest assured that your wishes will be legally recognized and adhered to, alleviating stress for both yourself and your loved ones during difficult times.
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The benefits of advance care planning extend beyond personal peace of mind—it also improves the overall quality of life for both patients and their healthcare providers. By clearly defining treatment preferences in advance, patients can avoid unnecessary and unwanted medical interventions, reducing the risk of undergoing procedures that may not align with their values. Additionally, advance care planning helps ease the emotional burden for loved ones, who might otherwise struggle with the responsibility of making life-altering decisions in times of crisis. Knowing that your healthcare journey is aligned with your desires can significantly reduce stress and anxiety, creating a more compassionate and supportive experience for all involved.
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Throughout our lives, we diligently plan for each new stage whether it's the excitement of getting our first phone as teenagers, preparing for a driving test, choosing the perfect car, selecting a university, or finding a new apartment. Planning is an integral part of our journey, so why should it stop as we approach the later years of life? Why allow uncertainty and fear to cloud our future when we have the power to shape it? Advance care planning is not about dwelling on the inevitable, it’s about embracing life with confidence, knowing that your future is in your hands.
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Take the time to plan now, so that when the moment arrives, your wishes are honored, your loved ones are relieved of the burden of uncertainty, and your legacy is preserved exactly as you intended. Advance care planning is the key to ensuring that your voice is heard, your values are respected, and your final chapter is written on your own terms.
what we are doing...
We took part in ACP training as we saw the need for an initiative, aimed at increasing ACP awareness, that was both culturally sensitive and informative. We aimed to participate in this training because we wanted to be able to provide the most accurate information in our training sessions and have access to the needed guidance and resources in order to promote ACP discussions amongst the South Asian community
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The training provided us with the guidance and resources to successfully carry out the training sessions we have in mind. In particular we learnt how to harbour and create a safe space for the older adults by creating an inclusive environment where questioning is welcome and reluctance is acknowledged and understood. Also, how to carry out a discussion in a way where the facilitators do not bias their opinion and allow them to speak freely. This is necessary as it allows for individuals to voice their wishes and values surrounding their future health care
Future Plans
Outreach
Resources
Discussion
We plan on reaching out to SA older adults at places known to be frequently visited by them including worship centers, adult day programs, and community centers. We aim to discuss the importance of ACP, provide some background, and then invite them to attend our info sessions which will be held mostly in person to account for the reduced technology literacy amongst the older SA population. These sessions will often be held at the same locations to reduce the need to travel to different and unfamiliar locations
We plan on providing resources such as pamphlets in Punjabi and Hindi and other ACP toolkits that can be accessed by SA seniors easily. Furthermore, we hope to partner with local health authorities as it helps create more outlets for interaction with SA patients. Therefore, we can expose our community to the importance of ACP in health care settings such as hospitals and outpatient centers. Partnering with health authorities will also help in increasing awareness as it has been determined that the SA community respects health care providers and tend to follow health authority directions.
We hope to see an increase in ACP discussion amongst the SA population and specifically with those diagnosed with dementia or those with a loved one diagnosed with dementia