Advance Care Planning

Links

Office of the Public Guardian
The office of the Public Guardian through the Dependant Adults Act, the Personal Directives Act and the Mental Health Act provides appropriate decision-making mechanisms for individuals who are unable to make personal non-financial decisions for themselves. The Office of the Public Guardian consists of two areas of responsibility - Guardianship for Dependant Adults and Personal Directives.

Personal Directives - Office of the Public Guardian
A personal directive allows you to prepare written instruction on personal matters in case you become incapable of making those decisions later. The law in Alberta does not allow for another person to automatically make decisions for you – not even your spouse or a close relative has legal authority. Anyone over the age of 18 can complete a personal directive. It can be made with or without the assistance of a lawyer, but it becomes a legal document when it is dated, signed and witnessed.

Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association
CHPCA is the national voice for Hospice Palliative Care in Canada. Advancing and advocating for quality end-of-life/hospice palliative care in Canada, its work includes public policy, public education and awareness. Established in 1991, its volunteer Board of Directors is composed of hospice palliative care workers and volunteers from Canadian provinces and territories as well as members-at-large.

Health Canada
The Glossary Project -- This report arose from the need to bring clarity to the concepts and terms used in advance care planning in the various Canadian jurisdictions and in the health, social and legal sectors in order to facilitate pan-Canadian dialogue about advance care planning.

Dalhousie University Health Law Institute End-of-Life Project: Advance Directives
Questions about end of life law and policy in Canada are answered. There's information about advance directives, palliative interventions, and the withholding and withdrawal of potentially life-sustaining treatment.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada
Comprehensive set of online resources for Healthcare Professionals and for individuals and families affected by ALS. A chapter in the manual deals with approaching end-of-life issues and advance care planning. Other resources such as the Fact Sheet about Ventilation: Options and Decision Making would help individuals weigh the benefits and burdens of this treatment intervention. A video “Making Hard Decisions” is available for order.

Living Well with COPD (Password is copd)
This is a Montreal based website available in both French and English which contains patient education materials and clinician resources that are used widely across Canada, including here in Calgary in the Living Well with A Chronic Condition program (see section on Regional Resources).

Alzheimer Society of Canada
A helpful introduction for families and individuals with an early diagnosis of dementia. Topics include planning for the future, advanced directives and substitute decision making.

Patient Decision Aids
The Ottawa Health Research Institute has developed materials to aid patients in decision making in areas such as Bilateral Lung Transplantation for Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients, The Use of Intubation and Mechanical Ventilation for Severe Chronic Pulmonary Disease and Long Term Feeding Tube Placement in Elderly Patients.

Fraser Health
Fraser Health is one of Canada's largest and fastest growing health authorities, located in British Columbia. They have developed materials regarding Advance Care Planning: Let's Talk. We thank them for their support and collaboration as we launched our Advance Care Planning program.

Austin Health
Melbourne, Australia

Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation
Respecting Choices® An Advance Care Planning Program Different Than the Rest. Respecting Choices is focused on professional training and organizational change.

Health Quality Council of Alberta
The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is an arm's length organization empowered and funded by the Government of Alberta through the Minister of Health & Wellness to report directly to Albertans on the quality, safety and performance of health services. The council identifies best practices, and reviews and monitors the following dimensions of health care quality: access, acceptability, appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency and patient safety. They are also committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve excellence in all dimensions of quality and safety across Alberta's heath system.

Provincial Health Ethics Network
The Provincial Health Ethics Network (PHEN) of Alberta is a non-profit organization which provides resources on addressing ethical issues related to health. PHEN does not advocate for or take positions on particular ethical issues; its role is to facilitate thoughtful, informed and reasoned ethical decision-making from all perspectives.

Alberta Health Services Resources (Calgary and area)

Aboriginal Health
Regional program with aim to maximize health and wellness capacity of Aboriginal people.

Palliative Care
Palliative care is the active compassionate treatment and care of people with a terminal illness and for those who are close to them. Besides medical care and pain management to improve the quality of life by controlling the symptoms of the disease, we provide psychosocial and spiritual support to assist with grief and bereavement.

Chronic Disease Management Program
Online information about the Living Well Patient Education Programs and patient resources including the Multicultural Chronic Disease Management Program.

Healthy Diverse Populations
Provides information on diversity and diversity competency including Interpretation and Translation Services.

Regional Capacity Assessment Team (RCAT)
The RCAT provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary capacity assessments for complex clients, as well as offering consultation on complex cases (by telephone or in person) for health professionals within the Calgary Health Region. In addition, RCAT offers in-services for health professionals on best practice approaches to capacity assessment.

Regional Clinical Ethics Service
Clinical Ethics Services within the Calgary zone are organized around local ethics committees which have been formed in all major healthcare sites such as hospitals and in all major programs outside of hospitals such as the Home Care Program. Long-term care facilities also are well represented by local committees. Broadly they offer the following:

-Education of healthcare professionals, patients and families;

-Clinical consultation in complex values-based clinical situations;

-Policy review which allows ethical input into the determination of new policy.

Southern Alberta Renal Program (SARP)
Website has information about kidney disease and the benefits and burdens of treatment options including dialysis. Excellent video about types of dialysis and a summary of the benefits and burdens would be useful for individuals and families.

Advance Care Planning Home Current Highlights Advance Care Planning: Goals of Care Designation Policy Background Advance Care Planning Tools Goals of Care & Goals of Care Designations Forms & Processes Education Resources FAQ's Related Publications, Reports & Research Pediatrics Links Contact Us	Advance Care Planning Links Office of the Public Guardian The office of the Public Guardian through the Dependant Adults Act, the Personal Directives Act and the Mental Health Act provides appropriate decision-making mechanisms for individuals who are unable to make personal non-financial decisions for themselves. The Office of the Public Guardian consists of two areas of responsibility - Guardianship for Dependant Adults and Personal Directives. Personal Directives - Office of the Public Guardian A personal directive allows you to prepare written instruction on personal matters in case you become incapable of making those decisions later. The law in Alberta does not allow for another person to automatically make decisions for you – not even your spouse or a close relative has legal authority. Anyone over the age of 18 can complete a personal directive. It can be made with or without the assistance of a lawyer, but it becomes a legal document when it is dated, signed and witnessed. Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association CHPCA is the national voice for Hospice Palliative Care in Canada. Advancing and advocating for quality end-of-life/hospice palliative care in Canada, its work includes public policy, public education and awareness. Established in 1991, its volunteer Board of Directors is composed of hospice palliative care workers and volunteers from Canadian provinces and territories as well as members-at-large. Health Canada The Glossary Project -- This report arose from the need to bring clarity to the concepts and terms used in advance care planning in the various Canadian jurisdictions and in the health, social and legal sectors in order to facilitate pan-Canadian dialogue about advance care planning. Dalhousie University Health Law Institute End-of-Life Project: Advance Directives Questions about end of life law and policy in Canada are answered. There's information about advance directives, palliative interventions, and the withholding and withdrawal of potentially life-sustaining treatment. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada Comprehensive set of online resources for Healthcare Professionals and for individuals and families affected by ALS. A chapter in the manual deals with approaching end-of-life issues and advance care planning. Other resources such as the Fact Sheet about Ventilation: Options and Decision Making would help individuals weigh the benefits and burdens of this treatment intervention. A video “Making Hard Decisions” is available for order. Living Well with COPD (Password is copd) This is a Montreal based website available in both French and English which contains patient education materials and clinician resources that are used widely across Canada, including here in Calgary in the Living Well with A Chronic Condition program (see section on Regional Resources). Alzheimer Society of Canada A helpful introduction for families and individuals with an early diagnosis of dementia. Topics include planning for the future, advanced directives and substitute decision making. Patient Decision Aids The Ottawa Health Research Institute has developed materials to aid patients in decision making in areas such as Bilateral Lung Transplantation for Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients, The Use of Intubation and Mechanical Ventilation for Severe Chronic Pulmonary Disease and Long Term Feeding Tube Placement in Elderly Patients. Fraser Health Fraser Health is one of Canada's largest and fastest growing health authorities, located in British Columbia. They have developed materials regarding Advance Care Planning: Let's Talk. We thank them for their support and collaboration as we launched our Advance Care Planning program. Austin Health Melbourne, Australia Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Respecting Choices® An Advance Care Planning Program Different Than the Rest. Respecting Choices is focused on professional training and organizational change. Health Quality Council of Alberta The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is an arm's length organization empowered and funded by the Government of Alberta through the Minister of Health & Wellness to report directly to Albertans on the quality, safety and performance of health services. The council identifies best practices, and reviews and monitors the following dimensions of health care quality: access, acceptability, appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency and patient safety. They are also committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve excellence in all dimensions of quality and safety across Alberta's heath system. Provincial Health Ethics Network The Provincial Health Ethics Network (PHEN) of Alberta is a non-profit organization which provides resources on addressing ethical issues related to health. PHEN does not advocate for or take positions on particular ethical issues; its role is to facilitate thoughtful, informed and reasoned ethical decision-making from all perspectives. Alberta Health Services Resources (Calgary and area) Aboriginal Health Regional program with aim to maximize health and wellness capacity of Aboriginal people. Palliative Care Palliative care is the active compassionate treatment and care of people with a terminal illness and for those who are close to them. Besides medical care and pain management to improve the quality of life by controlling the symptoms of the disease, we provide psychosocial and spiritual support to assist with grief and bereavement. Chronic Disease Management Program Online information about the Living Well Patient Education Programs and patient resources including the Multicultural Chronic Disease Management Program. Healthy Diverse Populations Provides information on diversity and diversity competency including Interpretation and Translation Services. Regional Capacity Assessment Team (RCAT) The RCAT provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary capacity assessments for complex clients, as well as offering consultation on complex cases (by telephone or in person) for health professionals within the Calgary Health Region. In addition, RCAT offers in-services for health professionals on best practice approaches to capacity assessment. Regional Clinical Ethics Service Clinical Ethics Services within the Calgary zone are organized around local ethics committees which have been formed in all major healthcare sites such as hospitals and in all major programs outside of hospitals such as the Home Care Program. Long-term care facilities also are well represented by local committees. Broadly they offer the following: -Education of healthcare professionals, patients and families; -Clinical consultation in complex values-based clinical situations; -Policy review which allows ethical input into the determination of new policy. Southern Alberta Renal Program (SARP) Website has information about kidney disease and the benefits and burdens of treatment options including dialysis. Excellent video about types of dialysis and a summary of the benefits and burdens would be useful for individuals and families.
	E-mail comments to Advance Care Planning Webmaster. Page last updated on: June 07, 2010