Table 3 Suggestions for ‘normalizing’ ACP among Albertans
Theme | Supporting comments |
|---|---|
Education | |
• Educate the general public | “education of public where to access materials and how to use them” |
• Educate youth/young adults | “this should be discussed in high school … to become a natural thing to look at” |
• Educate professionals (e.g. healthcare, legal, financial professionals) | “Train all helping professionals in their university training about Advanced Care Planning but also trained in how to have the conversations - > skill needed” |
• Educate community organizations | “holding sessions through community groups, churches, etc. to educate and having someone there to answer questions” |
• Educate through conferences, health fairs | “Pushing concept at conferences- e.g. retired teachers” |
“health fairs- hand out pamphlets” | |
• Educate through employers | “workshops offered by companies for employees” |
Integrate into life events | “Revisit PD at marriage, kids, divorce, disease, losing a family member” |
• Driver’s license, marriage, birth of child, divorce, new medical diagnosis, retirement, will/estate planning, funeral planning/death of loved one | |
“Part of annual visit with GP” | |
“driver’s license or health care card - have you signed a personal directive - tick box” | |
Introduce ACP earlier in life | “start this conversation with people when they are young” |
Standardize terminology across the country | “GCD & DNR, common language in the country” |
Mandate ACP | “mandate primary care networks to have conversations” |
“long term care/assisted living facilities could insist on having this for all residents” | |
Change focus toward quality of life, not just end of life | “frame as planning for life not planning for death” |
Provide incentives (for public and professionals) | “extra lines (directives) on financial and investment and mortgage papers and life insurance policies 'personal directive discount” |
• Financial, emotional | |
“change GP billing codes” | |
“Educate what happens when you don’t have a PD - give the negatives of the story” | |
Advertise ACP | “need to advertise, let people know to normalize the activity” |
• Web, social media, television, print media, annual events (e.g. National ACP Day, fun run), public awareness campaign | “put on facebook, social media for younger generation” |
“Terry Fox run, incorporate death and dying” | |
Make ACP accessible to different cultures | “cultural community and group education” |
“cultural training/sensitivity to ACP” | |
“language translation is needed for other groups” | |
Share stories | “peer-to-peer stories help having experienced it already” |