Making difficult care decisions easier for loved ones

For Bribie residents Thomas and Sonia Heeney putting a Statement of Choices in place was great for piece of mind and will help their family understand their preferred health care choices in a time of crisis.

For many families having to make decisions about the care of a family member when they are seriously ill can be extremely difficult especially in a time of crisis. To help support, Caboolture Hospital is providing a free Your Hospital, Your Health: Advanced Care Planning Community Forum which will outline practical steps and support for people wanting to put in place future plans for treatment and care if they are having a severe health crisis.

Caboolture Hospital’s Staff Specialist Dr Iain Borthwick, who regularly works with families and the elderly to identify health care choices, said putting instructions in place about how you want to be treated when you are at your most vulnerable is something that each one us should do

“Outlining your health care choices is a simple way of ensuring that the care you receive later in life is in line with what you want and decisions are not made more easily for family at a very stressful and difficult time,” he said. For 87 year old Thomas and 81 year old Sonia Heeney of Bribie Island, putting a Statement of Choices in place has supported their family to understand their wishes in the future.

“Having no close friend or family nearby and having to rely on children who may be interstate or overseas putting instructions in place have given us a greater peace of mind,” Sonia said.

“It is important that if our loved ones need to make a difficult decision on our behalf then they know what our wishes are.”

As part of the Forum topics to be discussed include:

• How to discuss health care and quality of life choices with those closest to you
• Providing written instructions in a Statement of Choices or Advanced Health Directive
• Choosing and appointing your Enduring Power of Attorney.

The Your Hospital, Your Health: Advanced Care Planning Community Forum will be held on Saturday September 3.

Dr Borthwick said residents from Caboolture, Woodford, Morayfield and Bribie Island areas were welcome to attend the Advanced Care Planning Forum.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact 5433 8524 or email caringtogether@health.qld.gov.au by Wednesday 31 August 2016.