Family Caregivers' Characterization of Conversations Following an ACP Event.

The findings are only caregivers' memories and interpretations of conversations, not patients' reports. Caregivers were asked 4 to 6 weeks later, so details may be forgotten or reconstructed. People uncomfortable with end-of-life talk may not have chosen to enroll, so the sample may not include all views. Most caregivers were white, so the findings may not transfer to all populations. The study did not account for prior caregiving experience, which may shape willingness to talk or feel prepared. The preparedness result is reported for 80 caregivers, while the interview sample was 188 caregivers. This report describes experiences after any advance care planning event and does not test whether one format was better.

Two authors have intellectual property and copyright interests in the decision aid used in the study, Making Your Wishes Known: Planning Your Medical Future, which is available online free of charge. A version is being developed with a private commercial enterprise. All other authors declared no conflicts.

Do not read this as proof that an advance care planning event causes conversations or improves surrogate preparedness. The study describes caregivers' reports after any advance care planning event and does not establish a causal effect or compare formats.