Project Plan 

1. Complete an environmental scan and focus group interviews to gather information that informs the development and adaptation of the community-led ACP model.

2. Develop a culturally appropriate, community-led ACP education model for British Columbians living with early stages of dementia and their family members and friends.

3. Pilot the model with four (4) community organizations in BC

4. Refine the finalized model based on evaluation data collected from the pilot

5. Implementation of the model with ten (10) community organizations in BC

6. Knowledge synthesis and spread

Project Outputs 

Click here to read the executive summary of the environmental scan completed as part of this project.  

Project Progress

My Wishes, My Care: Advance Care Planning Programs

For people living with early stages of dementia and their family and friends.

Two community-led ACP programs were developed for people living with early stages of dementia and their family and friends – a guided conversation event and a two-part ACP information session. The two programs were designed to complement each other and, ideally, to be taken in sequence. Titled My Wishes, My Care…, the programs are:

1.  A guided conversation event to help participants explore their wishes, values, and beliefs as a first step to preparing a plan for future health and personal care. This event is a preliminary step to beginning the ACP process.

2. A two-part information session to teach participants about the steps of ACP, and offer information and resources to help them get started.

Pilot Phase (October – December 2020)

The project entered a new phase in October with the launch of the programs in partnership with four pilot sites in the North Okanagan, Greater Victoria and the Lower Mainland.

For the project’s pilot phase, each of the four community partners have received training from BCCPC and will host a minimum of one guided conversation event and one two-part information session before the end of December 2020.

Representing four distinct communities, the four pilot sites are:

Adult Cognitive Wellness Centre (Langley): Newly launched in Spring 2020, the Adult Cognitive Wellness Centre uses Montessori principles to deliver cognitive, physical, social, spiritual and emotional programs to their clients living with dementia, while also supporting and engaging their caregivers.

Family Caregivers of British Columbia (Greater Victoria): Committed to strengthening the voice of family caregivers and highlighting the significance of their role, the Family Caregivers of BC has a mission to improving the quality of life for family caregivers through support, information and education.

North Okanagan Hospice Society (North Okanagan): While their primary mission is to provide quality end-of-life care to the North Okanagan community, the Society’s REACH program (Resources, Education and Advocacy to Champion Hospice-palliative care) demonstrates their belief that palliative care starts long before people enter hospice. Rather, it starts at home, around a kitchen table, talking to loved ones about end-of-life wishes.

CareRx Vancouver Downtown (Vancouver): More than providing pharmacy services to residents in long term care, retirement homes, hospice homes and group homes in Greater Vancouver, CareRx also focuses on education – their own and their clients’. CareRx is looking ahead to support the increasing number of older adults who wish to age in place.

Pilot Events/Sessions

Click on the buttons below for more information about the conversation events and ACP information sessions offered by our pilot community partners. Please contact the organizations directly for more information, or to register.