(Photo: AMEDD)
March 29, 2019
South Burnett nurses are hosting stalls next week to help the local community consider their future medical care and understand the importance of advanced care planning.
A stall will be set up during National Advanced Care Planning Week at Kingaroy Shoppingworld next Wednesday (April 3) and Friday (April 5) between 10:00am and 2:00pm.
Residents will have the opportunity to discuss with Mental Health Nurse Navigator Tracy Gilmour and South Burnett Cancer Care Nurse Navigator Elizabeth Kerrison what living well means to them and learn how plans can be made for a “medical road map”.
Advance care planning promotes care that is consistent with a person’s goals, values, beliefs and preferences.
It prepares you and others to plan for future health care for a time when you may no longer be able to communicate those decisions yourself.
“We want to help people prepare for a time when they may be too sick to speak for themselves,” Ms Kerrison said.
“Advanced care planning can give people a voice, ensuring they remain the driver’s seat, regardless of what the future brings.
“We should all consider advanced care planning regardless of our age or health status and to make our future health care preferences known.”
Less than 15 per cent of Australians have documented their preferences in an Advance Care Directive even though 50 per cent of people will be too unwell to make their own end-of-life decisions.
