Advance care planning begins by thinking about your beliefs, values and wishes regarding future health care treatment. It is about having conversations with your close family, friends and health care provider(s) so they know the health care treatment you would agree to, or refuse, if you become incapable of expressing your own decisions.
When you write down your wishes and instructions for future health care, you are making an advance care plan, which is a written summary of a capable adult's wishes or instructions to guide a substitute decision maker if that person is asked by a physician or other health care provider to make a health care treatment decision on behalf of the adult.
Your advance care plan can also include: A representation agreement where you write your instructions and name someone to make your health and personal care decisions if you become incapable.
An advance directive with your instructions for health and personal care that are given to your health care provider, which he/she must follow directly when it speaks to the care you need at the time.
An enduring power of attorney where you appoint someone to make decisions about your financial affairs, business and property.
Steps to creating your advance care plan: Have family conversations about your beliefs, values and wishes. Every advance care plan starts with conversations between you and your trusted family members or friends. It may feel hard to get started, but usually the people who care about you will understand the need for these conversations.
Decide what health care treatments you will or won't accept, and note them. It's important to think about when you might want to accept life-supporting interventions - measures like breathing machines or feeding tubes. You should also think about when you might prefer not to have life support or life-prolonging interventions.
Gather the contact information for the people who could be individually asked to be your temporary substitute decision maker if a health care decision is needed for you. If you have many adult children, or if you would rather have your friend, not your brother for example, be asked to make health care decisions for you, then you can choose the person you want to decide for you by naming them as your representative in a legally binding representation agreement. Put your advance care plan in a safe, accessible place for the people who may need it. If you have a chronic health condition, if you engage in high-risk activities or even if you're just marking a significant birthday, you should have an advance care plan. You can change your advance care plan at any time as long as you remain capable.
