Locals are urged to prepare for a scenario where they may be unable to make their own medical decisions.
Medical director of Advance Care Planning Australia Dr Karen Detering said the message is very significant.
“Advance care planning is more important than ever in these uncertain times,” Dr Detering said.
“In the months ahead, thousands of Australians face the prospect of becoming suddenly and seriously unwell so I’m concerned that more than 85 per cent of Australians are without an advance care directive as we face the impact of COVID-19.”
Palliative care co-ordinator at Echuca Regional Health Jo Amos said advanced care planning is about letting your loved ones know what your wishes and values are in case there comes a time when you can no longer communicate those decisions yourself.
“It’s important so if anything does happen to you everyone including your carers and family and the doctors and nurses looking after you know what to do or not to do,” Jo said.
“Research has shown us that families of people who have done advanced care planning have less anxiety and stress when asked to make important health care decisions.”
It’s not just the elderly or people with health problems who need to think ahead, Jo said everybody should have an advance care plan and update it regularly to reflect changes in their life values.
“The best way to start is by having conversations with your family and loved ones. It can be the hardest part, however you can start by saying ‘I was thinking about what happened to ... and it made me realise that ... being able to ... is the most important thing to me...’” Jo said.
“The advanced care planning website has some great conversations starter ideas and there are even some games that can be sourced over the internet to explore what your values might look like.
“The forms for advanced care planning and making a medical decision do vary between the states but it is recommended the best form to use is not the one of the state you live in, but where you are most likely to receive your health care.
“In most cases however, regardless your written values will be taken into account at any stage.
“With the current threat to us and our health system it is so important to be having these conversations now to plan, not to panic and to support each other in our decisions to the best of our ability.”
A local resident shared their experience of not having a plan when her mum suddenly fell ill.
“I had been trying to get mum and dad to do an advanced care plan for ages, but they didn’t want to do it,” they said.
“Then mum collapsed and was unconscious and we didn’t know for sure what her wishes were, she was flown to Melbourne where things didn’t improve.
“We knew she would not recover and we wanted to bring her back to Echuca for end of life care.
“The discussions with the doctors to get her home would have been so much easier should her wishes have been in writing.”
Chair of the AMA Ethics Committee and advance care planning advocate Dr Chris Moy shared his advice on getting started.
“Choose a person you trust to make your medical decisions, it may be a difficult conversation for some people but it’s a small, yet powerful act of love which will make it easier for those left who may need to make tough decisions on your behalf,” he said.
“Those of us in the medical profession have seen the fall out of families being unprepared for these scenarios and it’s heart breaking.”
For more information and to get started on your advanced care plan visit advancecareplanning.org.au
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