End-of-life care refers to the support and medical care provided to individuals who are nearing the end of their lives. The goal of end-of-life care is to ensure comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families during the final stage of a terminal illness or in the natural decline of old age. Doctors, nurses and all those providing your care should ask about your wishes and preferences and take this into account when planning your care.
Here are some steps you could consider taking now to help ensure you control your care at the end of your life:
- Making an advance decision, which makes clear to doctors if you wish to refuse life sustaining treatment. This will give you peace of mind that you have binding instructions for doctors to follow if you are in a coma or persistent vegetative state, or have a terminal illness.
- You can also write an advance statement or letter of wishes explaining what you would like to happen at the end of your life. This can include, for example, that you would like to be sedated to avoid pain. Although this is not legally binding, doctors will take this into account in your treatment during the final stages of your life.
- Register a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for health and welfare, allowing a person or people of your choosing to make decisions about your care if you become incapable of doing so. They will be able to accept or refuse treatment on your behalf. This can be set up to work in tandem with an ‘advance decision’, but care needs to be taken to ensure this. You should make sure that your GP has a copy of your LPA.
Complete a ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR), to let doctors know if you don’t want them to give you CPR to keep you alive.
How TWM can help you
If you need advice about your end-of-life care, you can talk to one of TWM’s specialist private client solicitors for expert advice.
For more information or advice, please contact Duncan Mitchell-Innes.
For further details about our Private Client services, click here.