CQ Series: Culture and Choices: Advance Care Planning

CQ Series: Culture and Choices
Advance Care Planning through a cultural lens

Advance care planning is about understanding what matters to a person and how they would like decisions about their future care to be made. But conversations about illness, future care and end-of-life wishes do not happen in a cultural vacuum.

Culture, family, faith, language and life experience can all influence how people understand and approach these conversations. For some older people, decisions may be deeply connected to family or community. Others may have particular beliefs about discussing illness or death, or preferences about who should receive information and be involved in decision-making.

This practical CQ session explores how we can approach advance care planning with cultural curiosity, sensitivity and respect, while keeping the older person’s voice and choices at the centre.

In this session, we will explore:

how culture can influence conversations about future care, illness and decision-making
different understandings of choice, autonomy and family involvement
cultural and communication considerations when discussing advance care planning
how to avoid assumptions while still drawing on cultural knowledge
practical ways to support culturally responsive advance care planning conversations

Who should attend?
Aged care workers, coordinators, care managers, assessors, nurses, allied health professionals and others involved in supporting older people and their families.