What is captured regarding goals of care and advance directives?

• A. Only the resident's age.
• B. Only the date of last hospitalization.
• C. Only the family consent forms.
• D. Documentation of resident preferences, goals of care, and directives to ensure alignment of care with wishes.

Answer: (D)

Capturing goals of care and advance directives means documenting the resident’s preferences and any directives so the care provided aligns with their wishes. In long-term care, this includes what interventions they want or do not want (such as resuscitation, intubation, hospitalization, or palliative approaches) and who is authorized to make decisions if they can’t speak for themselves. Having these documented guides the entire care team to act in a way that respects autonomy, reduces unwanted or non-beneficial treatments, and supports consistent decision-making across changes in condition or setting.

Age or the date of last hospitalization don’t reveal the resident’s care preferences. Family consent forms aren’t the same as the resident’s own directives and may not legally or ethically reflect the resident’s individual wishes. When the resident’s preferences are clearly documented, staff can align care with those wishes even if family members have differing views or during emergencies.