It is the conversation most of us know we should have with our loved ones, but often don't.
According to the 小蓝视频 Centre for Palliative Care, 76% of British Columbians agree it is important to talk about what matters for their future health care, but only about one in three have heard of advance care planning.
Less than half have had a conversation with family about this issue.
So, what is advance care planning, exactly?
"Advance care planning is a process of thinking about your values, beliefs, and wishes for future health and personal care, and sharing them with the people you trust,鈥� says a spokesperson for.
鈥淚t can include choosing who would make care decisions for you if you cannot. Advance care planning can help you get the care that鈥檚 right for you, even if you鈥檙e unable to speak for yourself."
When there鈥檚 no plan
What happens when the worst happens to you and a care plan is not in place?
Jody Kramer, client services co-ordinator with the , says that even in families where relationships are healthy and good, not having a plan for loved ones to look to when a relative dies or becomes unable to speak for themselves can be problematic.
"When there isn't any plan in place, you're taking steps in the dark in terms of what people want," she said.
"You're basing it just on your own memory, which, under stress, isn't going to be really reliable in terms of what the person has said in the past."
Kramer notes that these crises are emotional times for everybody.
"Even in families where conversations are easy, you're struggling against all the different stages of grief that are popping up when you're dealing with a sudden change in someone's ability to communicate and make decisions for themselves, and that can mean arguments among family members," she added.
Not having a plan can sometimes mean distant family members come out of the woodwork and suddenly have a lot of opinions, Kramer said.
"That can be really emotional when that happens ... and then you end up engaging more with people who might actually not have the loved one's interest at heart. So that's a worst-case scenario," she said.
"But even in the best-case scenario, you're dealing with just an array of emotions. One person might be dealing with anger, one person might be dealing with denial, one person might be in acceptance鈥攁ll the stages of grief pop up at different times for family members, and they're trying to work out stuff during this highly emotional time."
Kramer said, ideally, individuals are working on their plan independently, well before they become ill, injured, or are facing death.
"It's never too late to start making your advance care plan鈥攜our will, your representation agreement, power of attorney. It's also never too early. You're in charge. We're each in charge of our own decisions, whether you want that to be within a religious context or whether you want to take advantage of all the amazing services that are out there. But we have to make our decisions and make our wishes known."
Kramer recommends people get and fill out the free 小蓝视频 government advance care planning guide, , which is available in multiple languages.
It can be used to learn more about advance care planning and to make future wishes known through forms at the back.
"It's such a terrific document," Kramer said.
Another step in the process is to talk to your family and friends so they know what your plan is or how to find it.
These conversations aren鈥檛 comfortable for a lot of us.
Kramer said sometimes it's about reading a book or watching a film that addresses death to get the ball rolling on the conversation.
One option is the film on Knowledge Network.
Kramer said the Squamish Public Library has terrific resources on grief and dying, and even books for kids.
People sometimes feel like they may be burdening their loved ones by raising the topic of death or advance care plans, but it unburdens them, should you become too ill, or unable to make decisions, or you die suddenly.
"The greatest gift you can give to anyone is your plan. Show what you want and write it down."
Sea to Sky Hospice has a wealth of resources and support for folks and can direct people to where they can get the help they need.
Find out more on the .
There鈥檚 also much more information on the website and the .
