Advance care planning

It can be a good idea to plan for your future medical treatment and care, and to discuss your preferences and values with your family, friends and health care team. This process of discussing future care and preparing any necessary documents is called advance care planning. It ensures your family and health care team know and respect your treatment wishes if you can’t make decisions for yourself (called losing decision-making capacity) or can’t communicate your wishes for any reason. Planning ahead can give you peace of mind and help your family feel less anxious if they are asked to make important health decisions for you.

Advance care planning can involve:

• talking and making decisions about what is important to you for quality of life
• discussing what treatments you may or may not want, including where you want to receive care (e.g. at home if possible)
• completing an advance care directive
• appointing a substitute decision-maker.

Advance care planning may be confronting, but it doesn’t mean that you have given up or will die soon. The process gives you the security to know that you have formalised plans for the future, and that you can now focus on treatment and living. You can also change an advance care directive at any time if you want or need to.

You can include details about what you want in your advance care planning documents. For example, religious, spiritual or cultural beliefs that may affect your healthcare decisions can be recorded.

Many advance care planning documents are only used if there comes a time when you can’t make decisions for yourself. However, you will need to be able to make clear decisions (have capacity) to complete an advance care directive, as this is a legal document.

To find out more, call 1300 208 582 or visit Advance Care Planning Australia or End of life QUT You can also get independent legal advice. Call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 if you feel anxious about planning.

Steps in advance care planning

1. Talk to others

Use one of the following guides to help you think about your preferences and discuss them with family and friends:

•  Advance Care Planning Australia’s conversation starters
• Palliative Care Australia’s discussion starter.

It may also be helpful to talk to your doctor about the kinds of choices that may need to be made in the future.

2. Record your treatment goals

Many hospitals have their own forms for you to use. If not, you can find information relevant to your state or territory at Advance Care Planning Australia. Documents must include:

• names and contact details of your substitute decision-maker
• outline of treatments, care or services that you do or do not want
• a signature and date for both you and your witness.

3. Make copies

Share copies of your advance care documents with your GP, oncologist, palliative care team, substitute decision-maker, hospital and family or friends.

• Ask your doctor or hospital to include the plan in your medical record.
• Save it online at My Health Record.
• Review the documents regularly – yearly is a good idea – and update them whenever your wishes change.