Understanding what is important to older people living with frailty in relation to advance care planning

Advance care planning (ACP) provides opportunities for people to make decisions about future care. Internationally, the approach to this varies. Older people living with frailty could considerably benefit from discussing and undertaking advance care planning. However, this has not traditionally been a particular focus of their care.

To provide recommendations to support nurses and health professionals to undertake ACP conversations with older people living with frailty through a review of contemporary literature.

The following electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, British Nursing Index and the Cochrane Library. Information about the process and outcome of undertaking an ACP conversation with older people living with frailty was extracted and categorised in relation to care setting.

A total of 69 papers were identified, of which eight met the inclusion criteria. The importance of preparation before starting an ACP conversation was highlighted, as well as key considerations when undertaking such a conversation. From these papers five clinical recommendations, one policy recommendation and two research recommendations are made.

Maintaining and improving wellness is important to older people living with frailty. In order that conversations about ACP are acceptable and meaningful to older people living with frailty, they should include: the opportunity to discuss both 'current' and 'future' care; be focused on their goals of care; and, to be offered routinely to the older person.