You only die once
Your guide to advance care planning.
Death is an important part of life.
So like any other significant life event, it’s well worth your consideration and a little forward planning.
This process is called advance care planning.
Part of that planning involves having conversations with your loved ones and making your wishes known… sooner rather than later.
After all – you only die once, so why not ensure you get what you want and make things less stressful for everyone.
Having the conversation
Before you start any conversations, we recommend you gather your thoughts on things like:
- What kind of care would you prefer or find unacceptable?
- Would you want to be revived if your heart or breathing stops?
- Where would you prefer to be cared for?
- Is there anyone or anything special you would want to have with you?
What to consider
A will is a legal document that sets out what you want to happen to your things after you die. Because you never know when it may be needed, it’s recommended that everyone over 18 completes a will. If you die without a will, it’s called ‘dying intestate’ and the Public Trustee decides how your assets and belongings are distributed.
You can write your own will using a DIY kit – lots of places have them including Australia Post. Or you can seek help for a fee from a private lawyer, the Citizens Advice Bureau or Public Trustee office. The more complex your situation, the more likely you are to need assistance with completing a will.
An Advance Health Directive allows you to say what you want, and don’t want, in your medical treatments. As a legally binding document, it must be followed by health professionals – but only when you have lost capacity to make or communicate your decisions.
It is often completed when a chronic disease or life-limiting illness is diagnosed, but you can do one at any time.
It’s recommended you seek guidance from a health professional when you are considering an Advance Health Directive.
The document can be kept and provided on paper, a digital version can be uploaded by your GP, hospital or stored on My Health Record.
An enduring guardian is a person you legally appoint to make personal, lifestyle and treatment decisions on your behalf – but only when you have lost capacity to make or communicate your decisions.
On the Enduring Power of Guardianship form you can be specific about the decision-making authority of your enduring guardian. For example, you could say they only have authority to make decisions about your treatments. Or you can extend it to cover lifestyle decisions, like where you will live. It’s important to know your enduring guardian can’t override treatment decisions that are in your Advance Health Directive.
The process also allows you to give specific directions for your enduring guardian, such as the medical professionals you want involved, or the family members who can participate in decision making about your care.
The document can be kept and provided on paper, a digital version can be uploaded by your GP, hospital or stored on My Health Record.
When you appoint someone to be an Enduring Power of Attorney you are asking them to manage your finances when you have lost capacity or are unable to manage your own finances. They will only have power over finances and assets and are not able to make health or treatment decisions.
It’s a legally binding process so it is important to choose a trusted person who you believe will safeguard your best interests, as well as talk to them about your expectations and wishes about their role.
The document can be kept and provided on paper, a digital version can be uploaded by your GP, hospital or stored on My Health Record.
You can record your advance care planning discussions and decisions on a form called My Advance Care Plan. Which means your family, friends and health professionals will be informed about how you wish to be treated.
In addition to a summary of the legal documents you have developed such as a will, Enduring Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Guardianship and Advance Health Directive, you can include any special requests or messages. These can cover such matters as where you would like to live in the last stage of life, who you would like to care for you and who you would like to have visit you … or even NOT visit you.
The document can be kept and provided on paper, a digital version can be uploaded by your GP, hospital or stored on My Health Record.
Palliative care helps anyone with a life-limiting or terminal condition to live their life as fully and as comfortably as possible. It is not just for people with cancer and it doesn’t mean that your doctor has given up and there is no hope.
Early access to palliative care can improve quality of life for you and for those around you. If you have a life-limiting illness you may receive palliative care for years, months, weeks or days.
Including a palliative care professional in your medical team is a bit like adding a disease specialist – they are experts in pain and symptom management and aim to ensure the highest quality of life, right to the end of life. It’s becoming more common for people to be referred to palliative care early – it can even work alongside curative treatments in some cases.
Palliative care takes a holistic approach and considers pain and symptom management, psycho-social needs, spiritual concerns and engagement with your family and loved ones.
By deciding to donate your organs and tissues you have the opportunity to transform the lives of those waiting for a transplant.
Organs that can be donated include heart, lung, kidney, liver and pancreas. Tissue that can be donated includes heart valves and other heart tissue, bone, tendons, parts of the eye and skin. You can specify what you are willing to donate.
Organ donation generally happens when someone dies in an intensive care unit on life support or a ventilator. Those situations are very distressing for family and friends so it’s important they know your wishes. Which means you need to have already had the conversations about organ and tissue donation. It’s also important to register on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
Donate Life is the Australian Government Organ and Tissue Authority. On their website you can find out more information about
• What you can donate
• Who can donate
• The donation process
• Registering as an organ donor
If you are diagnosed with a condition, chronic disease or life-limiting illness there can be lots of information to absorb quickly. All treatment decisions need your approval so you need to become as informed as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor lots of questions and get a second option. Some of the questions you may like to ask are:
• Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
• What are the risks?
• Are there simpler, safer options?
• What happens if I don’t do anything?
• What are the costs?
Many medical conditions have local or national organisations that can provide you with lots of information about your condition. You can also use the internet, library and your own network to get information and feedback on treatments. If you are using websites, make sure they are reputable.
Remember, whilst health professionals are highly trained, it is your body, your health and ultimately, your decision on what treatments you undertake.
