Mogelijkheden van voorafgaande zorgplanning voor dementerende patiënten

Abstract

Advance care planning for patients suffering from dementia: what is currently possible in Belgium? Due to the growing number of patients suffering from degenerative diseases, the importance of advance care planning is ever increasing. In Belgium, people can rely on a variety of advance directives during the process of advance care planning. One important example can be found in the advance euthanasia directive. However, due to the narrow scope of the latter type of advance directive, the possibilities for patients suffering from dementia are rather limited. In this article, an overview is provided regarding the different advance directives existing within the Belgian legal landscape and the possibilities they entail for patients with dementia. In particular, the narrow scope of the advance euthanasia directive is discussed and criticised. After having provided the reader with various arguments for and against a broadening of the scope, the authors conclude that broadening the scope of the advance euthanasia directive must be considered.