Advance Care Planning

What is Advance Care Planning?

Advance care planning is about writing down how you wish to be cared for in case you cannot make decisions in the future. Making your own choices is important to your sense of self and well-being. So, it is important that your family knows how you want to be cared for, in case you become very sick.

This includes how to manage your finances and care including:

Paying bills
Food
Living arrangements and housing
Clothing
Hygiene
Safety
Health care

During advance care planning, you name someone you trust to be your Substitute Decision Maker (SDM). This means that you give them the legal right to make those choices for you when you are not able to. You can have a different SDM for your care and for managing your finances.

The person you choose does not have to be a family member but make sure you choose someone you feel would best honour and carry out your wishes.

Why is it important?

It is important for your family, friends and healthcare team to know what your wishes are. This legal process will help make sure that you are cared for in a way that you want if you can no longer make decisions. This is called an advance directive, a legal document that allows you to express decisions about your care and finances ahead of time.

How do I prepare to complete an advance directive?

Watch this video on the 5 steps of advance care planning:

Video credit: Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

Having read the information in this section, consider the following:

Are my care wishes known by my family/caregiver?
Do I have my wishes written down?
Have I legally named someone as my Substitute Decision Maker or Power of Attorney to make decisions for me when I am no longer able?
Have I made my wishes known to that person?
Have I written down this information?