Welcome to the Dementia Podcast Series.
In this podcast, Health Services Advisory Group of California visits the Coalition for
Compassionate Care of California, located along the rustic banks of the Sacramento River,
where we met with its Executive Director, Judy Citko Thomas.
As implied in its mission statement, the Coalition promotes high-quality, compassionate care
for all Californians who are seriously ill or approaching end of life.
When considering questions related to advanced care planning, we sought guidance from this
trusted organization.
What is an advance directive?
An advance directive has two parts.
One part is naming who you want to speak for you, who you want the medical team to turn
to, to make decisions if you can't make them for yourself.
That's called a surrogate, or an agent, or a decision-maker, or spokesperson.
The second part is where the individual puts down their goals and values.
What are the benefits of an advance directive?
For people with early stage dementia, an advance directive can help them stay in control of
the medical treatment that they receive.
An advance directive helps caregivers because once an individual loses the ability to speak
with the medical team, the medical team is going to turn to their loved ones to make
those decisions for that individual.
And the advanced directive gives them guidance.
Can an advance directive be changed at any time?
An advance directive can be changed at any time.
In fact, we recommend periodically reviewing it and updating it.
What is a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or POLST form, and how does it
relate to an advance directive?
POLST compliments an advance directive.
It's a medical order that specifies what medical treatments an individual wants and what they
don't want.
So it is completed with the patient or the surrogate, their loved one, with a physician,
and it has to be signed by both the patient and the surrogate, either or both of those,
and the physician.
Can a POLST form be changed at any time?
A POLST form can be changed by individuals if they have the capacity at any time.
If the person has lost capacity, then the family members can change it in consultation
with a physician.
Where's a trusted source for people to get advanced care planning resources, including
a POLST form?
The best resource for information on advanced care planning, both advance directives and
POLST, is the Coalition for Compassionate Care website at CoalitionCCC.org.
In addition to resources that are translated into other languages, we have materials that
are designed specifically by and for people with disabilities, including an advance directive
for those with developmental disabilities, and a POLST form that is translated into Braille.
Where should the POLST form be displayed or stored?
You want to keep a POLST form in your home, where you live, in a place that emergency
responders are going to look.
So, we often recommend that it be kept in the kitchen or near the medicine cabinet.
Who should I inform about the POLST form?
With both POLST and advance directives, you want to give a copy to lots and lots of people.
You want to make sure that your healthcare providers know it.
Give it to your physician.
If you have a hospital you normally go to they will put it in the medical chart.
Give it to your loved ones first because if you can't speak for yourself it is their job
to carry out your wishes.
You want all of your family to know what your wishes are so that they can honor them as
well.
This has been the Securing and Honoring Family Wishes Podcast.
Thank you for viewing.
For more topics on caregiving for those with dementia, visit www.hsag.com/caregivers.