CHPCA urges Canadians to document healthcare preferences as only 17% have created an advance care plan
Advance care planning helps individuals think about and communicate their health and personal care preferences in case they lose the ability to express their wishes.
Research from the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) shows that while 77 percent of Canadians have considered their future healthcare needs, only 17 percent have created an Advance Care Plan.
Creating an Advance Care Plan allows individuals to advocate for themselves, ensuring their wishes are known if they become unable to express them due to an emergency, such as an accident or sudden illness.
This plan acts as a guide for a person’s circle of care, helping communicate their preferences to healthcare providers.
“Life can change in the blink of an eye, and too often we may lose the ability to advocate for ourselves without warning,” says Laurel Gillespie, CEO of CHPCA.
“Advance care planning and expressing your healthcare preferences early on is crucial. Having a plan in place is both empowering for the patient and provides relief to the circle of care, allowing them to honour important wishes and preferences.”
Gillespie adds that CHPCA has developed an accessible Advance Care Planning suite to help Canadians define and share their healthcare wishes before it's too late.
Advance Care Planning is a significant milestone in life, comparable to gaining the right to vote or obtaining a driver’s license. This process should be revisited after major life changes, such as marriage, relocation, separation, or becoming a parent.
Recording preferences is only the first step; it’s equally important to share the plan with trusted decision-makers who will communicate the individual's wishes to healthcare professionals if needed.
Several barriers prevent individuals from creating an Advance Care Plan or discussing it with loved ones. Cultural beliefs around illness and death or assumptions that family members already know their preferences can hinder the process.
However, a shift in attitude is taking place, with one in eight Canadians expressing a belief that there should be more openness in talking about illness and death.
Almost half of Canadians (47 percent) are unsure where to find information or guidance about Advance Care Planning.
To address this, CHPCA developed a comprehensive Advance Care Planning guide on its website, which outlines each step in creating a plan.
This guide provides questions that help individuals document their personal preferences and values. Once completed, these plans can be shared with others, allowing for more meaningful conversations about future healthcare needs and self-advocacy.
