Construction of Sustained Social Support System for Advance Care Plan / 中国医学伦理学

ABSTRACT

With the aggravation of global aging process and the strengthening of patients’ awareness of rights, the realization of the elderly and end-of-life patients’ right to know and autonomy, and the satisfaction of physical and mental needs have become new indicators to measure social development. Advance care plan focuses on the discussion process of patients, their families and medical staff on end-of-life medical decisions and death intentions, which greatly promotes the development concept of palliative care and optimal death. To promote this process in the context of traditional Chinese culture, it is also necessary to combine with the local family concept and collectivism. Therefore, this paper introduced a sustainable social support system involving multiple subjects such as families, communities, social workers, and legal workers, with a view to benefiting the elderly and end-of-life patients.