TAKE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT DEATH AND DYING

The AMA is using AMA Family Doctor Week to encourage everyone – old or young, sick or healthy – to talk about death and dying and to make plans for end of life care.

AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said today it was important to break the taboo around death and dying, and get people to discuss their wishes with their families.

“Discussing death and dying can often be confronting, but we encourage everyone to talk to their family about their end of life wishes,” Professor Owler said.

“Your local family doctor is a good point of reference, and can help to discuss death and dying in an appropriate manner.

"Doctors give hope to their patients by letting them live out their life with dignity, and helping them to connect with their families.

“They can provide information about the clinical aspects of care, and help answer any questions, including those related to palliative care.”

The AMA strongly recommends people to consider making an advance care plan, in which they make clear their preferences about health and personal care, including preferred health outcomes, goals, and the values of care which should guide decisions about their treatment.

The plans should also make clear who they would like to make decisions for them should they lose decision-making capacity in the future.

Professor Owler said such planning reduced the strain on individuals and loved ones at what was often a hugely stressful and upsetting time.

“The process respects the patient's right to take an active role in their health care in an environment of shared decision-making between the patient and their doctor,” Professor Owler said.

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As part of Family Doctor Week 2015, the AMA has produced a number of videos highlighting the important contribution family doctors make to the health of the nation, including:

• General Practice: More a Passion than a Job
• Prevention and Care throughout Life
• Plan for Pharmacists in General Practice
  

All the videos can be downloaded from the AMA Family Doctor Week website at https://ama.com.au/family-doctor-week-2015

AMA Family Doctor Week is proudly sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Cutcher & Neale, and AMEX.

23 July 2015

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                            Odette Visser                      02 6270 5412 / 0427 209 753

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