Charity issues Myth Busters resource to clarify that end-of-life advance care planning conversations are nothing to do with assisted dying and are not to be feared
Age UK is publishing a new short, accessible Myth Busters resource for older people and their families, and for professionals too, to help people understand that assisted dying and end of life advance care planning are two totally separate things. This new resource can be accessed [https://age%20uk%20advance%20care%20plan%20booklet.pdf/]here.
The Charity is taking this step after becoming concerned that an unintended consequence of the Parliamentary and public debate about assisted dying is that some people are being put off from engaging in end-of-life advance care planning.
The Charity has heard from some older people who are now hesitant to engage in conversations with loved ones and healthcare professionals about what they wish for their health and care when they approach the end of their life – which may be soon or a long way off – fearing that these discussions are a ruse to persuade them to seek an assisted death, something which some people mistakenly believe is already legal in this country.
A Private Members Bill to legalise assisted dying, for some people under certain circumstances, is currently making its passage through Parliament. Even if the Bill successfully passes all its stages, it will not become law until next year at the earliest, and then there will need to be a period of consideration to work out how it should be implemented. The upshot is that for now assisted dying remains illegal and unavailable in this country and it is not expected to become legal and operational here until 2029, if then.
To help the public to navigate this period Age UK has produced a set of Assisted Dying Myth Busters. They include the following:
“Advance Care Planning and discussing my preferences for the end of my life is similar to assisted dying”
This isn’t true. Talking about your future health and care wishes is very different to assisted dying, which remains illegal in England at this time.
Advance Care Planning is not about deciding to end your life early, it’s about recording your preferences for your future health and care, so that professionals involved in your care and your loved ones can help you in the best way possible if you are unwell and at the end of your life.
“Deciding that I would like to refuse certain treatments as part of my Advance Care Plan is the same as asking for an assisted death”
This isn’t true. Deciding against having certain treatments (such as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR) in the event that we become very unwell, because we may not think they are in our best interests or align with our beliefs, is very different to assisted dying. Assisted dying, which remains illegal in England at this time, would mean a doctor giving someone drugs that end their life early.
“I am scared that having conversations about my future health and care wishes means that people think I want to die”
Saying what you would like at the end of your life does not mean that you want it to come any sooner.
Sharing and recording these wishes is about planning and preparing, ensuring your wishes are known for future decisions that may need to be made.
“My doctor wants to talk about health and care at the end of my life, but I’m not ready to talk about this yet”
That’s absolutely fine, you don’t have to. These conversations are completely optional, you don’t have to engage in them unless and until you wish to and feel ready.
“I don’t know where to start with having conversations about the end of my life”
Talking about death, dying and wishes for the end of your life is not easy. If you think you may want to have these conversations but aren’t sure where to start Age UK has some helpful resources and information that can help you work through the key questions and next steps.
“I’ve heard about decisions being made about the end of someone’s life without their understanding or agreement”
During the pandemic there were situations where some people felt forced into decisions that were being added to their health records, (like do not administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation orders, commonly known as DNR orders), without understanding what that meant, or even against their will. It is completely understandable that this bad practice has worried people.
This is another reason though why having an Advance Care Planning conversation can be helpful, because it can help you make informed decisions and talk through any questions that you may have.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said:
“Advance Care Planning is a valuable, very individual process. It’s about giving all of us the opportunity to think about and record our preferences for our care towards the end of life. These conversations help ensure that our individual wishes are respected and understood, especially if we become so unwell that we are no longer able to communicate them when the time comes.
“Advance Care Planning includes discussing and documenting where a person would like to receive care, the treatments they would or would not want, and who they trust to make decisions on their behalf, if that becomes necessary. We are encouraging older people not to be deterred from having these conversations by the ongoing debate around assisted dying, which remains illegal in England. That’s why we have published a new resource outlining the facts about Advance Care Planning and its benefits, and a set of Myth busters so that people understand it’s nothing to do with assisted dying.
“It would be a real shame if unfounded confusion with assisted dying stopped people from making their wishes known. We want everyone to feel confident to have end of life advance planning conversations when the time is right for them, regardless of the progress of the Bill and whether assisted dying becomes legal and operational in this country in future, or not.”
