Planning AHEAD: A Holistic Approach to End-of-Life Planning

End-of-life planning can be an intimidating, confusing, and emotional process, which may explain why only 37% of Americans have completed advance care directives. To address this need, we developed the Planning AHEAD (Advance directives, Handling financial changes, Estate planning, and Arriving at Decisions for the end of this life) curriculum. Planning AHEAD is a seven-session course designed to help participants make important decisions that reflect their end-of-life wishes and document this information to relieve stress for their loved ones. In the first two years of the program, Extension educators facilitated 45 Planning AHEAD series across Wisconsin, reaching over 600 participants. Evaluations indicate that the program was successful at supporting families’ information needs, planning, and communication about their wishes. Among post-program evaluation respondents (n = 397), nearly all believed they had enough information to move forward with end-of-life planning (99%). Respondents to a follow-up survey (n = 113) reported making considerable progress on their planning goals over the four- to six-month period following the program. By taking a holistic approach to end-of-life planning, this program addresses unmet informational and motivational needs, ultimately improving the experience of end-of-life planning for older adults and their families.