Advance Care Planning is a process of planning ahead for what medical treatment and care you agree to (consent) and what you don’t want to happen. It delivers on the principle of attempting to give each of us maximum control and autonomy over our own lives and our own decision-making. As someone who has ageing parents, it’s invaluable in providng clear direction on what our parents want so that we don’t have to guess, or have issues with other family members who may have different ideas to you. By embracing Advance Care Planning, you’re making it easier for your loved ones to execute your plans in what can already be a very stressful time.
Medical advancements see us living longer, including with chronic diseases or illnesses. Without an Advance Care Directive in place, many people find themselves undergoing medical interventions they would not have wanted. And this doesn’t just mean “Do not resucitate”. It could mean any intervention – even antibiotics.
If you or your parent has ever started a new treatment program or hospital admission, you may have been involved in documenting goals of care. This is a decision-making discussion to capture your beliefs, values, and preferences as they apply to the current episode of care. Many aged care facilities ask for this document when your parent enters the facility. Advance care planning is about capturing these decisions and preferences to guide decisions about your medical treatments or personal care in the event you are unable to make or communicate these decisions yourself.
Why do it?
So that doctors and loved ones have guidance on what we want if we’re unable to communicate ourselves.
Anyone who does not have decision-making capacity due to illness or injury, may be limited in options for making decisions about their own medical treatment and care. This is why it is important to create your own directive while you’re well and have clear decision-making capacity.
“There is a bit of a stigma around Advance Care Planning being for the elderly or terminally ill.”
Of course it is important if that’s where you’re at in life but, the reality is accidents and illness can happen at any time. It might make sense for you to get your own Advance Care Directive in place as you help your parents organise theirs.
A few important things
- The rules, processes and documents vary between States and Territories in Australia.
- Statutory directives are preferred by medical professionals due to legal concerns, although common law directives are much easier to create, and are legally recognised almost everywhere in Australia. The exceptions are that Victoria only recognises refusals of treatment (which is the majority of the legally binding part of your directive), and Queensland only recognises Statutory directives.
- If you’re looking to make plans for someone who does not have decision-making capacity, you can use the forms and tools available on the site to inform medical professionals and anyone providing care. However directions are not legally binding as it wasn’t prepared by the person recieving treatment or care themselves, meaning they do not have to be followed.
- Please don’t take this to mean they are not useful. Any information that helps others understand what is important to your loved one having a good quality life will help guide any decisions made.
“It is your right to control any medical treatment and personal care given to you.”
Not having a plan or directive in place effectively gives up that right and allows someone else to decide what happens to you.
Documenting your plan
There are a few different options for creating your own directive. The key differences are cost, complexity and legal recognition across different States & Territories.
Rules that apply to all States & Territories:
- Only you can write your own Directive – If written by someone else, it is referred to as a Plan. Although very informative, a plan is not legally binding.
- You must be over 18
- You must not have a guardian
- You must have decision-making capacity
- You must be doing this voluntarily
Traditional paper option – paper-based forms
This free option is good for people who are confident completing the paper forms without guidance and are happy to create a new version for any changes or future updates.
The button below provides a link to the Flamingo website which has download documents for Australian States and Territories that live in Google Drive. The links will take you there or directly to the source document on the local health department website.
- Hard copy
- Free
- Can be easily filed with other documents
- Your handwriting may be difficult for others to read
- Requires access to a printer (Officeworks have easily accessible print services if you don’t have a printer)
- Instructions and guidance are found in a separate document
- No spell checker
- Updates usually mean starting a new document
- Difficult to share
- When updating you need to get any copies back to avoid multiple versions being held by others
- You and your witnesses need to be together at the time of signing (Required for Statutory directives, recommended for others)
Electronic versions of paper forms – fillable PDF versions of paper based forms
This is a good option if you want to type your document and print it out later. It uses the program Adobe Acrobat.
The button below provides a link to the Flamingo website which has download documents for Australian States and Territories that live in Google Drive. The links will take you there or directly to the source document on the local health department website.
- Free
- Can be easily filed with other documents
- Spell checker
- You can start and stop as often as you like until you’re ready to print
- You can print multiple copies and have them all signed and witnessed
- Your writing will be legible if you type it
- Requires access to a printer (Officeworks have easily accessible print services if you don’t have a printer)
- Instructions and guidance are found in a separate document
- Updates usually mean starting a new document
- Difficult to share
- When updating you need to get any copies back to avoid multiple versions being held by others.
- You and your witnesses need to sign
- Your device must meet the technical requirements for fillable PDF documents – most do.
Fully digital option – the new kid on the block. Create, update and share in digital format in a secure online environment
Although this option comes with a small cost attached it provides the most flexibility of any other option available today.
The button below takes you to a private service offererd by Flamingo Life.
- Guided multiple choice questions with space for free notes and comments
- Can’t be damaged, lost or illegible.
- Expert tips right where you need them
- Easy to update
- Easy to share
- Easy for others to find
- Can be printed for a hard copy
- Printed version can be easily filed with other documents
- Spell checker
- You can start and stop as often as you like
- Option for a GP review and capacity assessment
- Easy to register and upload on MyHealthRecord
- Available on any internet connected desktop, laptop, tablet or phone
- Latest version is always available – no old versions (provided you’re not storing old printed copies)
- Unlimited sharing
- Legally recognised in all states except Queensland
- Government certified secure data storage
- Cost – although at $3 a week, it’s less than a cup of coffee
- Can’t print out a blank version to view questions ahead of completing
- Not a Statutory directive (still legally recognised except in Queensland).
Other useful links:
Flamingo Life website – providing tools for people to be organised for end of life including digital Advance Care Directives – https://flamingolife.com.au/
Karen Callaghan article on Carers’ Circle Advance Care Directive – the document that conveys your end of life wishes when you can’t – https://carerscircle.com.au/2021/08/04/advance-care-directive/
Karen Callaghan article on Carers’ Circle A guide to death processes – what happens when someone dies? – https://carerscircle.com.au/2022/03/16/death-processes/
Carers’ Circle article on Learning to talk about death – intro – https://carerscircle.com.au/2020/10/16/learning-to-talk-about-death-intro/
Advance Care Directive – the document that conveys your end of life wishes when you can’t – https://carerscircle.com.au/2021/08/04/advance-care-directive/
Dying to Know Day – an annual campaign that empowers all adult Australians to be strong self-advocates for their own personal planning when it comes to their future – https://www.dyingtoknowday.com/
