Understanding Advance Care Planning Advance Care Planning helps others understand your future healthcare wishes if you become unable to speak for yourself.
Advance Care Planning is a process that involves you, the people important to you and your healthcare team. It helps you talk about what matters to you and how you would like decisions about your health and personal care to be made if you become seriously ill or injured and cannot communicate your wishes. Documenting your wishes can guide your family, substitute decision-maker and healthcare team, and can make decisions easier for the people close to you.
Your wishes may be recorded in different documents depending on where you live. These may include an Advance Care Directive, Advance Health Directive, Health Direction, Advance Care Plan, Statement of Choices or another state or territory document. Some documents are legally binding if completed correctly. Others guide care decisions but may not be legally binding. These documents are generally only used if you are unable to make or communicate healthcare decisions yourself.
When making your plan, think about: What matters most to you? Think about your values, beliefs, culture, spirituality, personal goals, where you would prefer to receive care and who you would like involved in discussions about your care.
Who would you want to make decisions for you if you were not able to? A substitute decision-maker is someone you trust to understand your values and preferences and to speak for you if you cannot make or communicate decisions yourself.
Have you appointed the right person or people? The name of this role varies. It may be called an Enduring Guardian, Medical Treatment Decision Maker, Attorney, Enduring Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Guardianship or another recognised decision-maker.
Have you shared copies with the people who may need them? Provide copies to your substitute decision-maker, family or carer, doctor, healthcare team and BaptistCare care team. You may also choose to upload your documents to My Health Record.
Do you need additional support to document your choices? Your doctor or another health professional can help you talk through your preferences. You may need more than one appointment to discuss your wishes and finalise the right documents.
Can your plan be changed? You can review or change your Advance Care Plan, Advance Care Directive or other advance care planning documents while you have decision-making capacity. Review your documents if your health, preferences, living situation or substitute decision-maker changes. Useful supports Speak with your doctor or healthcare team. Advance Care Planning Australia provides national information and support through the National Advance Care Planning Advisory Service on 1300 208 582. If you need legal advice, speak with an appropriate legal professional in your state or territory.
This information is general only and is not legal advice. Requirements vary between states and territories. Please check current local forms and requirements before completing documents.