Advance care planning wishes assessment for the middle-aged and older-aged in A

Abstract

  This study aimed to assess the wishes of local residents regarding advance care planning (ACP). A self-made questionnaire was distributed to 1230 individuals, including 410 middle-aged (60-64 years) and 820 older-aged (65-75 years) participants. The questionnaire evaluated eight items, including what they valued in life and the medical treatment preferences when death approaches. The responses were collected from 69 middle-aged and 91 older-aged participants, revealing that more than ＞50％ of the respondents wanted to discuss these issues in advance. Family members, physicians, and attending physicians at the hospital were chosen as preferred discussion partners, with doctors and nurses more frequently selected for medical care-related matters. The outcome of this study suggests that the discussion process would be aligned with the roles of medical staff in ACP. Then it would be integrated into the patient’s end-of-life care plans. This will enable medical staff to recognize both areas where collaboration is possible and where not possible.