Advance Care Planning helps you think about and record your wishes for future health care if there comes a time when you cannot speak for yourself. Learn how planning ahead can support your family, guide your doctors, and ensure your care reflects what matters most to you.
At Next Practice Deakin, we believe in helping people plan for their future health and wellbeing.
One important way to do this is through Advance Care Planning.
Advance Care Planning means thinking ahead about your future health care and sharing what matters most to you. It helps make sure your wishes are known if there comes a time when you cannot speak for yourself.
Planning ahead can be a gift to both yourself and the people who care about you.
Advance Care Planning means thinking about, talking about, and writing down your wishes for future care.
This helps doctors, family members and carers understand what you would want if you became very unwell and could not make decisions.
You might think about things like:
Writing this down helps make sure your voice is heard, even if you cannot speak for yourself.
You can learn more through Advance Care Planning Australia:
https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/start-planning/record-your-choices/act
Many people think advance care planning is only for older people. In fact, any adult can benefit from planning ahead.
Advance care planning can:
Planning ahead helps make sure your care matches what matters most to you.
In the ACT, advance care planning may include a few different documents.
These may include:
A document that explains what matters most to you and the care you would want.
This allows you to choose someone you trust to make decisions for you if you cannot.
A legal document that can refuse certain medical treatments.
The ACT Public Trustee and Guardian can provide information and assistance about Enduring Powers of Attorney and other planning documents:
https://www.ptg.act.gov.au/
Advance care planning often begins with a conversation.
You might talk with:
These conversations can feel difficult at first. But many people find that planning ahead brings clarity and peace of mind.
You do not need to decide everything at once. Planning can happen step by step over time.
If you live in the ACT, there are local services that can help you understand advance care planning.
These include:
Advance Care Planning Australia
Guidance and tools to help you record your wishes
https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/start-planning/record-your-choices/act
Palliative Care ACT
Information about planning ahead and end-of-life care
https://www.pallcareact.org.au/advance-care-planning/
Canberra Health Literacy Hub
Clear information for consumers and carers
https://cbrhl.org.au/consumers-carers/advance-care-planning/
You do not have to do this alone.
At Next Practice Deakin, our team can help guide you through advance care planning.
Our Social Worker, Barbara Shone, can assist patients and families to:
Your GP can also help make sure your plan is recorded in your medical record so it can guide future care.
If you are thinking about advance care planning, start by asking yourself:
“What matters most to me if I became very unwell?”
Talking about this with your loved ones and your healthcare team can make a big difference.
If you would like help starting your advance care plan, book an appointment with your GP or with Barbara Shone at Next Practice Deakin.
We are here to support you and help ensure your care reflects what matters most to you.
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