If any of us became seriously ill, those closest to us may have to make important decisions about our care.  Talking about our healthcare wishes can make future decisions easier – a gift we can give to those who matter most to us.  We may not be able to predict every decision that needs to be made, but we can give those we love the guiding principles to confidently make decisions for us.

ACP conversations put you in the healthcare driver’s seat.  Getting the medical care we need often involves decisions, and we can and should speak up about the kind of care that works for us.  Speaking up about the kind of care we want also means telling those closest to us what we would want if we couldn’t make decisions for ourselves.  We are not doctors, but we ARE the experts on what is right for us and our lives.  When we share our values, preferences and wishes with our doctors and loved ones, we are part of the team that helps us get the right care for us.   We have a right to have a say in our health care. 

ACP conversations bring clarity and peace of mind.  The future is full of unknowns. But open conversations can pave the way to clarity, no matter what happens with our health or the health of our loved ones.  Having conversations about serious illness and the kind of care that is right for us gives us a shared understanding that fosters peace of mind.  We cannot plan for everything.  But we can help manage life’s unknowns by talking openly about what matters to us and what we would want most if we became seriously ill.  Conversations about things we cannot control can help give us a sense of control. 

ACP conversations help us learn what matters to our loved ones.  There may be a time when we must help the people closest to us—our friends, our spouses, our parents, or grandparents—get the care that is right for them.  To ensure our loved ones get the care that is right for them, we have to understand their values, preferences, and needs by making conversations a priority.  Asking those closest to us about what they would want in the face of a serious illness is a way to show them we care. 

ACP conversations can strengthen relationships.  The trust involved in having conversations about healthcare wishes and what matters most, can bring us closer.  The more we talk about the kind of care our loved ones want and expect, the more comfortable it becomes for all of us.    And it helps prepare us to be the best support we can be.

ACP conversations can help prevent stress and discord in families.  Making end-of-life decisions for loved ones is very difficult, emotional, and stressful, and family members may have different perspectives about the best course of action.  You can help ease the pressure of their future decision making by sharing your wishes with them in advance of a crisis. 

Research shows other ACP benefits.  Research shows that patients, family members, staff, and medical providers all benefit from advance care planning.  In prospective studies and randomized trials, advance care planning has significantly improved multiple outcomes, particularly for patients with serious illness.  These include:

• ACP helps ensure that patients receive care that is consistent with their preferences and the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990.
• ACP increases the likelihood that clinicians and families understand and comply with a patient’s wishes.
• ACP increases the likelihood that a patient will die in his/her preferred environment.
• ACP improves communication between patients, loved ones, and clinicians resulting in shared decision-making.
• ACP is associated with higher patient and family satisfaction with the quality of medical care received.
• ACP lowers the risk of stress, anxiety, and depression in surviving loved ones.
• ACP provides guidance to family members and reduces their decisional burden about whether they are following their loved ones’ preferences.  Family members feel better prepared to make decisions for their loved one.  Family is better prepared about what to expect during the dying process.
• ACP reduces moral distress among health care providers.
• Emerging data indicates advance care planning reduces the cost of end-of-life care, without increasing mortality.