5.1 Advanced care plans

An advanced care plan is a structured discussion with patients and their families or carers about their wishes and thoughts for the future. It enables:

  • better planning and provision of care to help them live and die in the place and the manner of their choosing 

  • clarification of peoples’ wishes, needs and preferences

  • delivery of care to meet these wishes, needs and preferences

  • important yet simple conversations that can change practice and empower patients

  • in-depth communication between patients and their families and loved ones.

(Source: adapted from Gold Standards Framework Centre, 2015)

Enabling advanced care planning is one intervention you can make with Frank and Grace. However, not all situations that occur can be planned for. One example is pressure sores or ulceration. Sometimes in end-of-life care the development of pressure sores is difficult to avoid due to skin changes that accompany ageing, failure of the circulatory system and disease progression. There are measures, though, that can be taken to protect and treat areas that are particularly vulnerable to ulceration. This is the case with Frank.

5 Approaching death

5.2 Signs that death is near