Why you should read this article:

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To recognise that being able to die well with dementia is of equal importance to living well with dementia

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To consider why there may be a low uptake of advance care planning (ACP) in people with dementia

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To learn about when to initiate an ACP discussion with a person with dementia

Recent policy focus in dementia care has been on living well with the condition; however, being able to die well with dementia is of equal importance. Advance care planning (ACP) enables people to consider, express and record their wishes and preferences for palliative and end of life care, however there is a low uptake of ACP in people with dementia. Although ACP discussions should be initiated as soon as possible after a diagnosis of dementia, there are other opportunities and transition points in the person’s care during which health and social care professionals could promote, engage in and support ACP discussions. This article considers the importance of ACP in dementia care and uses a case study to explore opportunities for initiating and engaging in ACP with people with dementia.