Understanding Advance Care Planning

Understanding Advance Care Planning What is Advance Care Planning?

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is a process that helps you plan your future care. This includes your care at the end of life and if you become less able to express your wishes.

Advance Care Planning is a process that involves you, your loved ones and health professionals. Your Advance Care Plan (ACP) lets you talk about the things that matter to you and lets other know how you want to live the rest of your life in the case of illness or injury. When it comes to your future care needs, your healthcare team will know and respect your choices.

By documenting your wishes, you are helping your family and healthcare team. They can make the right decisions about your care when you cannot do so.

An Advance Care Plan records your preferences for healthcare and health outcomes. The plan can be used to guide care decisions, but is not legally binding.

An Advance Health Directive (AHD) is like an ACP but is legally binding. A healthcare team cannot override an AHD; they have a legal duty to follow the choices you documented.

Anyone with full decision-making capacity can complete an AHD with their lawyer. Both an ACP and AHD will only be used if you are unable to say what you want.

How Do I Create An Advance Care Plan or Advance Health Directive?

Here is what you should think about when writing your Advance Care Plan or Advance Health Directive: • Who would you want to make decisions for you, if you were not able to?

A ‘substitute decision-maker’ is someone you trust to follow your wishes and understands your values and preferences.

• Do you have an Enduring Guardian or Enduring Power of Attorney?

• Your doctor or other health professionals can help support you to document your choices. You can book an appointment to do this. It may take two visits to finalise.

• Make sure your substitute decision-maker(s), family, BaptistCare staff and your doctor have a copy of your Advance Care Plan or Directive.

• You can change your Advance Care Plan or Advance Health Directive at any time, as long as you are able to make and understand your care decisions. They are only used when you cannot say what you want to happen.

To know more about Advance care Planning or Advance Health Directive, you can speak with our staff or contact Advance Care Planning Australia on 1300 208 582 or via advancecareplanning.org.au * An Advanced Care Directive is called a Health Direction in the ACT