The importance of planning your future health care needs

With National Advance Care Planning Week held this month, Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) is encouraging people to start thinking about their health care options should they become unwell and unable to speak for themselves.

GCPHN encourages people to plan in advance, so it’s clear to your treating health professionals and loved ones, your care wishes, particularly towards the end of your life. This provides you and your family with peace of mind and ensures your values and choices are respected. Advance Care Planning is particularly important for those who are older, have a chronic or terminal illness, early dementia or are approaching the end of their life, as it helps them take control of their medical treatment. But it’s also good to think about if you are over 18, as we can’t always plan future events that might leave us seriously injured.

Some things to consider include the goals of your current or future treatment, preferred place of care, religious and spiritual beliefs or values, resuscitation planning, community or palliative care services, family members or decision makers who you would like to become involved in your care, place of death, wishes in relation to your funeral, handling of your body (including cultural needs) and beliefs or values about organ or tissue donation.

To clearly state your wishes, you can complete an Advance Health Directive, a legal document to provide direction about your future healthcare. Advance health directives activate only when a person is unable to speak for themselves. You can download and print the Advance Health Directive Form 4 from the Queensland Health website. If you are admitted to hospital request to speak to the Advance Care Planning team at Gold Coast Health, or talk to your GP. Your GP needs to complete part of this directive, and they can also help to explain your options and any unfamiliar terms.

Once completed and legally witnessed, keep the original document in a safe place and give a copy to your GP, trusted family member or friend, and your solicitor. If you have a My Health Record, you can upload your plan, so treating health professionals can access at any time. If you take your plan to any public hospital on the Gold Coast, it will be uploaded to your file.

New research from Advance Care Planning Australia has shown that 70 per cent of older Australians are without an Advance Health Directive, leaving no instructions in the event that they are unable to make their own medical decisions. While it’s not an easy topic, it’s important to discuss your wishes. For your family, it can reduce the burden of having to make important choices regarding your medical care. Advance Care Planning Australia has some useful information to help start the conversation.

If you have nominated an Enduring Power of Attorney or Substitute Decision Maker, you could also consider a Statement of Choices which focuses on your wishes, values and beliefs. Queensland Health has helpful  information on their website.