Empowering People in Canada: New Tools and Resources for Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning is a crucial step in making sure that health and personal care wishes are known and respected. In 2024, Advance Care Planning (ACP) Canada conducted a national poll, revealing valuable insights about people in Canada’s thoughts, actions, and feelings on advance care planning. The findings have helped guide the creation of new resources from ACP Canada, designed to make planning easier, accessible, and more supportive for everyone.

Understanding Advance Care Planning in Canada Today

The 2024 ACP Canada poll highlights the importance people place on planning ahead, yet it also shows gaps in action and awareness:

77% of Canadians have thought about their health and personal care wishes.

This is an encouraging statistic; over three-quarters of people in Canada recognize the importance of thinking about their healthcare preferences. Yet, there is a clear need for tools that help translate thoughts into concrete, documented plans and important conversations.

82% of people in Canada believe that documenting their wishes can relieve stress for loved ones.

This reflects a strong understanding of the importance of clear guidance for the people we love. Still, despite this awareness, only a portion have taken the necessary steps to document these wishes formally.

43% believe that the best time to plan is while they’re healthy.

Many people in Canada recognize that advance care planning is ideally proactive, yet the statistics reveal that only a minority have formalized their plans.

81% of people living with disabilities have considered or discussed their future health and personal care needs.

This high level of engagement from those living with disabilities emphasizes the need for inclusive resources that accommodate diverse accessibility needs and ensure everyone can complete a plan.

Introducing ACP Canada’s New Resources

These poll results demonstrate the value of having accessible, effective, and engaging resources for advance care planning. In response, ACP Canada has released a suite of new tools aimed at addressing these needs. These resources are designed to guide individuals, families, and healthcare professionals through the planning process, helping all people in Canada feel empowered and prepared.

1. My Advance Care Planning Guide

My Advance Care Planning Guide is a comprehensive tool designed for people looking to create or update their advance care plan. This guide walks users through each step of the process, with sections dedicated to:

• Reflecting on Values and Wishes: Helping individuals clarify what matters most to them, including personal beliefs and preferences.
• Choosing a Decision Maker(s): A vital part of any advance care plan is identifying who will communicate your decision for you if you are unable.
• Documenting and Sharing Wishes: To bridge the gap between intention and action, the guide emphasizes the importance of documenting wishes and offers easy-to-follow steps on creating a shareable record.

The My Advance Care Planning Guide is ideal for individuals at any stage of the planning process, whether they’re starting from scratch or updating an existing plan.

2. My ACP Mini Guide

Not everyone needs a full guide to advance care planning. For those who want to review or make quick updates to their plan, ACP Canada offers the My ACP Mini Guide. This concise version covers the essentials, without diving too deeply into details. This guide is perfect for those who may have already thought about their care preferences but need a quick reference for:

• Reconfirming their decision maker(s).
• Revisiting core values and care preferences.
• Making updates based on life events, like a change in health status or family dynamics.

With its user-friendly format, the Mini Guide encourages people to regularly review and adjust their plans, aligning with the statistic that over 40% of Canadians recognize the importance of advance care planning even while they’re healthy.

3.My ACP Guide Activity Bundle

For professionals, facilitators, and community educators, individuals who want to complete the activities on their own, and anyone guiding others through the advance care planning process, the ACP Guide Activity Bundle provides a dynamic way to introduce advance care planning to others. This bundle includes 6 flexible and accessible activities designed to support meaningful conversations around advance care planning.

Each activity is a standalone tool allowing you to address specific needs, whether for yourself, your clients, peers or colleagues. By engaging in these activities, you can help people to uncover and clarify their values, wishes, and support networks. This will also help prepare them to communicate their wishes and preferences to others.

Removing Barriers to Advance Care Planning

Despite the known benefits, the 2024 ACP Canada poll highlights several barriers to advance care planning:

• Financial concerns: Some people in Canada worry that advance care planning requires legal or medical help, which can be costly. ACP Canada’s guides are accessible and free to download, making them available to anyone who wants to prepare a plan.
• Emotional discomfort: Many people avoid advance care planning due to the sensitive nature of discussing serious illness or death. ACP Canada’s resources, particularly the Activity Bundle, are designed to approach these conversations in a supportive, gentle manner.
• Not seeing a Need: Many people in Canada feel they don’t need an advance care plan because their loved one(s) know their wishes and values. It’s true they may have an idea of what you want, but it’s important not to assume they know exactly what you would choose in every situation. The video Love is Not Enough by Advance Care Planning Australia does a great job of highlighting this point.  By creating an advance care plan and sharing it with your loved ones, you ensure everyone understands your wishes clearly and there is no room for confusion. They may also have questions about your decisions, and discussing your plan helps address those concerns.

How to Get Started with Advance Care Planning

With these new tools available, it’s easier than ever for people in Canada to begin advance care planning. Here’s a simple approach to get started:

1. Download the My Advance Care Planning Guide or Mini Guide and set aside a quiet time to:
   1. Think about what is important to you.
   2. Learn about the care you want.
   3. Choose decision makers that you trust.
2. Communicate with Loved Ones: Once your preferences are recorded, share your guide with those you love and your chosen decision maker(s). This ensures they understand your wishes and feel prepared to support you.
3. Review Your Plan Regularly: Your advance care plan should be revisited annually or whenever there are significant changes in your life, such as new health conditions, life changes, or simply as your wishes evolve.

Advance care planning is more than just a document, it’s about people, relationships, trust, love, and wishes and preferences. Read Paula and Lindsey’s story to see how advance care planning touches lives.

For more information about advance care planning including more stories, frequently asked questions, and legal resources, please visit advancecareplanning.ca