Promoting and Providing Information

Advance Care Planning is a positive and proactive way for people to make sure their wishes about medical treatment, particularly live-sustaining measures, are considered if the person is unable to speak for themselves.  This information can be very useful to health professionals, family and friends of the person.  One of the barriers to Advance Care Planning is fear and misconception in the community about a link between Advance Care Planning and euthanasia.  In fact Advance Care Planning and the use of Advance Care Directives gives the patient more control in a life-threatening situation.  Euthanasia and assisted suicide is illegal in NSW and cannot be authorised by an Advance Care Directive. 

You can promote the idea of Advance Care Planning to people at any stage; however this process may be particularly relevant to people who:

• have been diagnosed with a serious degenerative health condition / life limiting illness
• have been diagnosed with a condition which will impair capacity
• are considering entering a residential aged care facility or retirement village
• have a family history of serious health conditions
• have fluctuating capacity, for example due to mental illness
• do not have close family and friends who can act as substitute decision-makers and who would have a good understanding of the person’s wishes

Information including workbooks and fact sheets are available from this website.