Advance Directives

Advance healthcare planning

Advance directives can be a part of the iterative process of advance healthcare planning which entails facilitated conversations about your future health and care goals. It includes

discussing your personal beliefs and goals for care with your loved ones and healthcare providers and these conversations can help people feel more at ease and in control of their healthcare journey. It also helps one’s healthcare team make treatment recommendations that align with these wishes.

According to the Association of Palliative Care Centres, “Sharing your wishes and values in advance helps your loved ones understand what treatment decisions you would prefer in a medical crisis. If you become unable to speak for yourself one day, your loved ones will have peace of mind when they make healthcare decisions on your behalf… Advanced Care Planning is for everyone, regardless of age or state of health.”

It is important to talk about these matters when you are doing okay so that the best decisions can be made during crises. Including your mandated person, family and loved ones in this conversation is also helpful as it will help prepare them to make decisions for you if you can’t make them at some point in the future.Guidelines to start these conversations can be found on our Resources page (4.1