Tipi Wills & Planning have developed an Advance Care Plan document in the same way you can organise an Advance Directive, if anything should, or has happened to you.  It also acts as a centralised and accessible safe place to store or record important healthcare and legal documents.   It notifies where other important private documents and information are stored such as your Will (another document prone to going missing), passwords, digital assets, financial account information and so on. 

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When is the best time to do your Life Care Plan and ACP?  Anytime well ahead of when it is needed.   

 

There are three golden rules you must have to do your planning

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1  Be physically capable

2  Be strong of mind

3  Have the means

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Do not wait until any one these conditions is in question.

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It is incredibly common for it to be too late to prepare all this easily or at all.  Suddenly social services and carers are involved, seeking advocates and family to become involved, court permissions, and no attornies and no healthcare directions.  It effectively starts when it is too late.  When hospitalised or going into care, information is recorded onto the computer and invariably this vital information is left blank because it is unknown, even if in place.  All agencies involved in your care want you to have the best care and to have prepared in good time.  This has little to do with how healthy and fit you are and how great your life is.  Anything can happen at any time.

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Foresight : If you are planning on doing something risky, already have, or are diagnosed with illness, going into hospital, accident or injury, this is a very good time to undertake your Life Care Plan. It focusses your mind.  If you think this is hard to face now, imagine trying to face it after an accident, onset of serious illness, ill, confused, overwhelmed, when everyone else is trying their best on your behalf.

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An Advance Care Plan :

i)  gives clear personal instructions to your family and any carer or health professional.  You retain control on directing your care, wants and particular needs

ii)  would provide a framework that healthcare givers can comply with in respect to legal obligations regarding your care. 

iii)  take a large burden off family knowing you have given your clear instructions that are in an accessible central place.  (This is an area that can be challenging where a hospital may need to call in legal or mediation services.  Families can fracture sometimes irreperably when medical advice and decisions are to be considered.  It is not an area to be underestimated).

iv)  Provide you with an opportunity to consider the legal documents you might need in place to complete a whole Life Care Plan to include a Living Will, Powers of Attorney, Document of Decisions, up to date Will.

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We provide you with a sectioned folder.  Make as personal as you wish, to include pictures of you and loved ones; your life or work history, family, you as a child or parent or friend or partner; notes of happy memories, all of which help carers to talk with you about things that are important to you and help if you feel low.  Your food preferences, your entertainment likes and dislikes regarding tv and radio for example, your self care such as hair and nails, footcare and any host of preferences that make you comfortable and happy.  You may keep it short and succinct and/or consider it an ongoing record.  Add things to it as you go along and then keep it with you should you get ill and/or go into care/rehabilitation.

 

An ACP can also be used as a keepsake for those that love you too if you use it a Smart Scrap Book too.

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This page contains lots of information as does the Advance Care Plan page.  If you prefer, just call or email to discuss.

 

It is important to store your ACP together with your Living Will / Advance Directive, record of financial provisions, to avoid things not being found.  There are cases such as where a Living Will came to light later, buried deep in GP records, which was quite a problem for the health carers because unwittingly they were contraveneing the patient wishes, ie breaking the law.  Any medical carers are bound by it so cannot carry out care against your wishes.

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The Advance Care Plan can also contain:

a)  Full details (or keep as simple as you wish) regarding : health, diet, beliefs, emergency contacts, photographs, likes, dislikes, wants and needs, memories, section with details & personal directory of important people, telephone numbers of places important to you like the vet, hairdressers, cafe, social meets, (a community garden or regular coffee/lunch meets, church friends, for example to support your social structure as you age/are ill).  It may be important to easily access important contacts as you age or are ill and it helps if your carer/family members know too, also AgeUK befriending service; particular support or helplines; food delivery; gardener; and so on.  Our sections guide you.

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It's very flexible  You choose when and if, what sections you fill in now or later and/or amend as needed later. You can take as much time as you need after completing [basic] details.  You may take as long as you need to develop a full picture and add personal content.

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Only you know you as well as you do.

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An ACP can store :

a) Your Living Will/Advance Directive

b)  A Document of Decisions (in Right to Die at Home and perhaps other Planning)

c)  Lasting Power of Attorney details

e)  details of where your Will is stored

f)  whereabouts of any other important details such as passwords, digital assets and accounts, financial provisions

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These documents will give you a chance to consider things you may not have yet considered:

eg  If you did go into care/hospice what is really important to have with you?  Who do you want to see?  Are there religious beliefs or food information?

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Whilst we cannot control everything that happens in life, there are certain things we can, and this is definitely one that simplifies what is usually a very difficult time.  It may be temporary or permanent or end of life but it is something we all need to attend to.  It can and does save the NHS and community social support vast resources in costs and time.  Your bit of planning can go a very long way.

 

Plan now to live your best life whatever happens.

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Rather like a "smart" scrapbook, you can encourage your whole family to participate or keep as a personal project. 

 

Timing can be hard.  An accident or serious illness, whether sudden or long term, can mean it is difficult to put your mind to such things.  Feel reassured that we can guide and support you if it has become urgent.  Preparing yourself for the future using the three golden rules is the best.  We can help support you to address difficult subjects and details and prepare over a time period that suits you.

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We give a sensitive, experienced and strong supporting hand.  We do believe in the human aspect of personal relationships and support.

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An important part of creating an Advance Care Plan is to protect you from feeling dehumanised at a time when you may be feeling  vulnerable such as through accident, sudden or progressive illness.  

Your ACP therefore, provides a complete care and legal package that prepares you for the future.  Anyone looking at your Advance Care Plan will see a full package of information which can be updated at any time.