“My dad wants to make an advance care plan but he just can’t make a start.”
- Be aware that people with cognitive impairment or in the early stage of dementia can have real difficulty in planning and following through on issues.
- They may feel embarrassed about not being able to do things that they have always been able to do.
- It’s important to support the person without taking over and making them feel they have lost control.
- Don’t rush the person but encourage them to consider the issues in their own time.
What can you do?
- Break actions down into small steps and repeat these as necessary.
- Have simple written material available so the person can check back over this.
- Help the person as they go through the worksheets on this website that are relevant to them.