Planning for future care may be linked to longer survival in terminally ill patients.

[2greys]

Advance care planning (ACP) can be a way to meet patients’ end-of-life preferences and increase awareness and quality of end-of-life care. In a recent publication, we investigated the effect of ACP in a randomised controlled trial of incurably ill patients with mixed diagnoses within the areas of cancer, lung and cardiac diseases.1 We found that ACP did not affect fulfilment of preferences concerning place of death and hospitalisation. However, a significantly higher percentage of patients died at home in the ACP group.

spcare.bmj.com/content/earl...

[SORRELHIPPO]

When my husband died I was left with no relatives. So I set up the two Lasting Power of Attorneys ( Medical and Financial) a bit expensive, however the Medical one I completed with very explicit details of how and when I wanted/not wanted treatments. I feel I benefited from a peace of mind, having made, what was for me an advanced plan for my care. So may be it will have a similar effect, as the Medical Staff may react to it by ensuring I stay at home and in my case do not receive aggressive care.

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There's a big difference between dying at home with someone by your side or dying at home alone. I wonder if they took note of that with the 'higher percentage of patients died at home'.

[Izb1 in reply to Hidden]

Yes Don, do agree, I would like to be at home but not alone x