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. Advance care planning may be confronting, but it doesn’t mean that you have given up or will die soon.
Learn more about:
- What is advance care planning?
- What can advance care planning involve?
- Steps in advance care planning
What is advance care planning?
The 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.
What can advance care planning involve?
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.
| The purpose of advance care planning | 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. |
| What to include in your documents | 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 health care decisions can be recorded. |
| When are these documents used? | 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. |
| Where to get support and more information | To find out more, call 1300 208 582 or visit Advance Care Planning Australia or End of Life Law in Australia. You can also get independent legal advice. |
Call Cancer Council on 13 11 20 if you feel anxious about planning.
Steps in advance care planning
 | 1.Talk to othersUse one of the following guides to help you think about your preferences and discuss them with family and friends: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 goalsMany 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:
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 | 3. Make copies
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→ READ MORE: Preparing legal documents
All updated content has been clinically reviewed by Dr Lucy Gately, Medical Oncologist, Alfred Health and Walter and Eliza Institute for Medical Research, VIC and Penny Neller, Project Manager, End of Life Law for Clinicians, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, QLD. This edition is based on the previous edition, which was reviewed by the following panel: Dr Lucy Gately (see above); Dr Katherine Allsopp, Supportive and Palliative Care Specialist, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Prof Megan Best, The University of Notre Dame Australia and The University of Sydney, NSW; Dr Keiron Bradley, Palliative Care Consultant, Medical Director Palliative Care Program, Bethesda Health Care, WA; Craig Brewer, Consumer; Emeritus Professor Phyllis Butow, Psychologist, The University of Sydney and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Louise Durham, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Outpatients, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Palliative Care, QLD; Dr Roya Merie, Radiation Oncologist, Icon Cancer Centre, Concord, NSW; Penny Neller (see above); Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Xanthe Sansome, Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia, VIC; Sparke Helmore Lawyers; Peter Spolc, Consumer.
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