Implementing a Nurse-led Advance Care Planning (ACP) Intervention in Residential Care Homes

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Jan 24, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective a nurse-led program is in helping residents of residential care homes have important discussions about their future healthcare wishes, known as advance care planning (ACP). The trial will compare two groups: one group will receive the nurse-led ACP support, while the other group will only get the usual care without any specific ACP discussions. The main goal is to see if the intervention encourages more residents and their families to participate in these important conversations.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must be 65 years or older and able to communicate in either Cantonese or Mandarin. Family members who help make healthcare decisions will also be invited to join the discussions, especially for residents who have moderate to severe cognitive impairment, which makes it hard for them to understand and communicate. Those with serious cognitive challenges who don’t have family members or who have previously completed advance care planning will not be included. Participants can expect to attend meetings guided by trained nurses who will help facilitate the ACP discussions, providing a supportive environment to talk about their healthcare preferences.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Eligible participants have to be age 65 or older and be able to communicate in Cantonese or Mandarin.
• • Participants will also be invited to identify family members involved in making decisions about their care to participate in the intervention. For residents who have moderate or severe cognitive impairment (as determined by a score of less than 19 in the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment), the participation of family members is mandatory.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • They have a moderate or severe significant cognitive impairment but do not have family members, or
• • They have prior ACP experience (e.g., AD completed).