Advanced Care Planning

Advance care planning is the process of planning for your current and future health care. It involves talking about your values, beliefs and preferences with your loved ones and doctors. This helps them make decisions about your care when you can’t.

Ideally these conversations start when you are well and then continue throughout your life.

Everyone should consider an advance care plan, regardless of your age or health. It can be particularly important if you have:

• an advanced chronic illness
• a life-limiting illness
• you are at risk of dementia or a related illness

You do not have to have a terminal illness to start talking about your wishes. Like making a will, advance care planning may simply be a part of planning for the future.