In the province of Alberta, the Green Sleeve is a plastic pocket folder given to patients by a doctor, which contains all of their necessary documentation. It holds their Advanced Care Plan (ACP), which includes their personal directive, goals of care designation, list of medications, and tracking records.
When a medical professional hands the green sleeve to you, there is a blank personal directive form inside to be filled out. Any person over 18 should have a personal directive. This form that can be completed with or without a lawyer. You are choosing someone, who is called your agent, is someone you trust to make personal and healthcare decisions for you in case you cannot make those choices yourself due to illness or injury.
The Goals of Care Form is completed by a doctor or a nurse, based on conversations a patient has had with them. They write on this form, the patient does not. It is not mandatory to have this form, but it is useful for when health care professionals need to know someone's wishes and how to act accordingly.
The tracking record is a written record of your ACP discussions. When you compile this form, the Goals of Care Designation, and your personal directive, it becomes the most up-to-date source of truth in which your values and wishes for your end-of-life care are documented.
The Green Sleeve is also often known as your “medical passport.” You can bring this green sleeve to all of your medical appointments, as it contains important legal documents. The green sleeve gets placed somewhere on the sides of your fridge at home because that is where first responders will look for important medical information in case of emergency.
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Saskia Adelsberger is a graduate of HHA's Death Doula Certificate Program, and she resides in Alberta, Canada. She is passionate about helping and advocating for people.