Future planning
A dementia diagnosis can raise many challenges for a person and their family. Decisions may need to be made about working, driving, medical and care support and living arrangements.
There are no simple answers, but discussing and planning for the future early may help prevent difficult and often stressful situations arising later. Before any significant changes are made, explore options to support the person to live their preferred lifestyle.
Decisions people may need to make include
- Accepting help from family, friends and paid carers
- Moving home to live
- in a more manageable home
- with family
- closer health and support services
- Moving into residential care
- Reducing or ceasing driving
- Reducing or ceasing paid or volunteer work
It is important to give people with dementia the opportunity to have a decision in future health care decisions. Information on supporting a person to appoint a Medical Decision Maker and complete an Advance Care Directive can be located via the following links.
A useful help sheet on planning for the future for people with a recent diagnosis of dementia can be found here.
Further detail and prompts about aspects of future planning can be found below.
Driving
Changing the pattern of, or ceasing, driving is usually a difficult decision for people to make. Understanding what driving means to a person can help with having this conversation. It may also help to start considering transport alternatives early to reduce the worry of isolation and being unable to attend daily or social activities.
People have described the following as important to them when considering driving:
- status
- rite of passage
- independence
- self-image
- role
- attending daily activities
- participating social activities
If driving, safety can be improved by only driving when you are well, have had a good sleep, are feeling calm and not rushed.
For more information about driving and dementia see here.
Advance care directives
For information about advanced care directives see the Medicolegal section of the pathway.
Advance Care Planning documents for Victoria
A fact sheet on Advance Care Directives for Victoria
The Dying to Talk Value Cards are useful in helping people think about their values and what is important to them
Medical decision maker
For information about substitute decision makers see this section of the pathway.
A brochure on appointing a Medical Decision Maker for Victoria
Capacity
For information on capacity and capacity assessment see this section.
Communication in advancing dementia
As dementia progresses it can be useful to have other communication aids that do not rely on verbal conversation. Some people have found the following useful in engaging a person living with dementia.
- Play lists of music that the person finds enjoyable
- Photo boards or albums of significant people and events
- Memory Boxes containing objects familiar and/ or special to the person
Resources
Forms and resources for developing advanced can planning can be found at Advance Care Planning Australia
Take Control is a booklet that provides information and documents needed to appoint a medical treatment decision maker, complete an advance care directive or make an enduring power of attorney.