#21 How Joy Lists can help Advance Care Planning with Andrew Saunderson

Have you ever wondered just how to start an Advance Care Planning conversation? In this episode I talk with Andrew Saunderson about how Joy Lists can be an effective way to elicit values on which to base Advance Care Planning decisions.

Key messages from guest

• We need to embed Advance Care Planning as a systems approach to systematically and sustainably improve care. 

• Effective change needs coaching follow up and systems change rather than just education.

• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande influenced Andrew’s Advance Care Planning and formed a catalyst to develop his work further.

• Advance Care Planning is about reflection on values rather than choosing health care decisions, Joy Lists help to articulate meaning in life

• What brings us joy is what influences our choices and activities and is a powerful platform for Advance Care Planning

• Asking what brings joy is an  effective way to elicit values on which to base Advance Care Planning decisions. 

• When we create and share a joy list it does three things: 

1. Joy Lists helps to ground us emotionally

2. Joy Lists empowers people who matter most to you to bring the things that bring you joy

3. Joy Lists help to guide health care decision making 

• Joy Lists take away the potential judgements associated with the words “values and beliefs”.

• Joy Lists can also be used with groups who traditionally experience barriers to accessing Advance Care Planning.

• Joy Lists are about living and what matters most to you.

Resource

• Find out more about Andrew’s practice, Reframing Hope at www.reframinghope.ca

• Read Andrew’s paper: The Reframing of Advance Care Planning: How Coronavirus Disease 2019 has Encouraged Us to Reflect More on our Values

• Joy Lists and Advance Care Planning, a podcast with Speak Up: A Conversation With: Andrew Saunderson

• Find out more about the book Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Andrew Saunderson is a Registered Social Worker in British Columbia, Canada who has worked in both acute care and community settings. He has focused much of his career supporting individuals and families in the areas of grief and loss, trauma, wellbeing, joy, and hope. He has been providing counselling and consulting support in diverse communities for over 12 years. Andrew finds joy in both learning and teaching, and currently provides regional health care systems leadership prioritizing moving Advance Care Planning further upstream while increasing engagement in both ACP and Serious Illness conversations.

Connect with Andrew on Twitter @ReframingHope

Find out more about my Bespoke Consultancy

• Service analysis for teams seeking to improve EoLC or prepare for CQC

• End of Life Care Education

• Lasting Power of Attorney Consultancy

• Talks and presentations

If you’d like to find out more about my work contact me.

What one thing will you do?

It would be great to share what resonated with you from this episode, what is the one thing you will do differently? Head to Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn to continue these important conversations.

Thanks to all my guests for working with me to share their knowledge, experience and stories about Advance Care Planning. I hope you enjoyed listening and have insights to take away; I love hearing your reflections on the series and look forward to reviews on Spotify where you can also subscribe to the series.

Clare

Important Conversations about Important Conversations.