Caregiver Support: Talking About Advance Care Planning

Caring for a dying loved one can be a rewarding but difficult experience. Let the person you're caring for do as much as they can. Also try to take care of yourself and ask for help when you need it.

It's important to talk openly with your loved one and their doctor. Also try to talk openly as a family. If your family has trouble talking to each other, you may want to see a counselor. Counseling can help you learn healthier ways to talk to each other. It can also help with difficult issues.

Questions to ask the doctor

Talk to your loved one and their doctor about the diagnosis. Questions to ask the doctor include:

• What are the treatment options?
• How long do you expect my loved one to live?
• What do you expect to happen with this diagnosis?
• What support services are available to help my family?
• Who will oversee and manage my loved one's care?
• Who do I call if my loved one is having problems, such as pain?

Things to talk about with your loved one

It can be hard to talk to your loved one about their end-of-life wishes. But it's important. Some of the things you might want to talk about include your loved one's treatment and personal goals, where they want to die, and what kind of funeral or memorial service they want.

Treatment goals

Personal and family goals

Location of death

Your loved one can die at one of several locations, including home, a hospital or nursing home, or maybe a local hospice house. There is no "right" place to die.

Funeral plans

• Does your loved one want a funeral or memorial service? Do they prefer burial or cremation?

Finances