Start2Talk about clients’ future wishes
A new online campaign, launched primarily to encourage people to have conversations about their future medical wishes, is also an educational resource to help health professionals stimulate discussion on the topic with their patients or residents.
Snapshot of the Start2Talk website.
The Start2Talk campaign asks people to ‘choose it or lose it’ and encourages people to talk to their loved ones about their future health and financial wishes should they ever be in a position not to make those decisions themselves.
The Start2Talk website is an interactive and comprehensive online resource to help people throughout Australia plan ahead for their future healthcare, lifestyle and financial decisions.
Developed through Alzheimer’s Australia’s National Quality Dementia Care Initiative, Start2Talk was designed following a number of consumer consultations and reports on the difficulty in gaining access to planning ahead tools and in documenting wishes.
The website, which has comprehensive information relevant for all states and territories, as well as a section for health and community care professionals, states: “Some people will be quite happy to make an advance care plan on their own or with the assistance of their family. Many others will want to have discussions with health or community care professionals who have some form of involvement in the person’s care.”
“We know people are reluctant to engage in open discussion about the possibility of not being able to make their own decisions in the future, and that differing tate and territory laws and regulations make it just that much more difficult,” Dr Chris Shanley, Start2Talk project manager, says.
Start2Talk uses a consumer focused model and moves beyond just providing information to include worksheets designed to spark practical conversation among families on an important topic that is too often neglected.
“The interactive nature of the website has the ability for users to register with the website to store their worksheets securely online so they can continue completing them at appropriate intervals. It offers the option of sending in personal stories on the topic of planning ahead and having your questions and concerns answered,” Dr Shanley says.
“What’s more, the website is not just for people with progressive illnesses like dementia. Everyone is encouraged to use the website to plan ahead because you will never know when you may be in a position where other people will need to make decisions on your behalf,” he says.
Start2Talk was created by Alzheimer’s Australia, with the support of Palliative Care Australia, Consumers Health Forum, Carers Australia, COTA, National Seniors, the RACGP (need to spell out) and other health and aged care organisations.
Start2Talk was developed through the National Quality Dementia Care Initiative, with funding from Bupa Care Services and the J.O. & J.R. Wicking Trust.
Below are some processes health professionals can use to assist their patients’ or residents’ advance care planning:
- Review the advance care planning statement of competencies to work out what your patient/client may realistically expect from you.
- Download and study the guidelines for staff in initiation and conduct of advance care planning discussions.
- Find out if there are advance care planning programs in your local area and find out what support they may be able to offer to your patients/clients.
- Help your patient/client work their way through the Start2Talk website and worksheets.
Visit the Start2Talk website for more resources and advice.
