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Advance Health Directive

Advance Health Directives

Yesterday’s blog post linked to The Pineapple Project’s podcast on discussions in the ICU and the importance of advanced planning.

Advance Health Directives (or Advance Care Directives for our NSW clients) are an integral part of your estate plan.

An Advance Health Directive enables you to record your wishes or directions concerning your future health care. Those directions will be come effective if you lose the ability to make your own decisions in the future.

Who can make an Advance Health Directive?

Anyone who is over the age of 18 years and is capable of understanding the nature of their directions, and foreseeing the effects of those directions, can generally make an Advance Health Directive.

The purpose of an Advance Health Directive is to give you confidence that your wishes concerning your health care will be carried out if you cannot speak for yourself.

If treatment could prolong your life, what level of quality of life would be acceptable to you?

Your Doctor must help you complete your medical directions and explain the medical terminology to you, the treatment options available to you and the fact of your chosen directions.

Your solicitor will complete the document with you by explaining its legal effect to you and confirming you understand the effect of signing an Advance Health Directive.

You may change your Advance Health Directive at any time while you remain mentally capable of doing so. It is wise to review your directive every two years, or earlier if your health changes significantly. An Advance Health Directive is not a document to be filed away and forgotten.

If you would like to review your existing Advance Health Directive, or make a new one, call or email us here at Willwise for an appointment.

The Pineapple Project Podcast: Death & Decisions in the ICU

What health care would you want to receive if you were unable to communicate your wishes? Who would be your voice?

How do you make a health decision for someone else?

In this episode of The Pineapple Project Podcast on Death we listen in on stories about tough decisions made in ICU.

Queensland residents might consider whether an Advance Health Care Directive adequately documents your wishes for health care if you are unable to speak for yourself.

Click the podcast icon below to link directly to the ABC website where you can listen to episode 5 of the podcast series.

Duration: 23min 35sec
Broadcast: Wed 11 Mar 2020, 2:00am
Credits
Producers: Karla Arnall and Clare O’Halloran
Sound Engineers: Angie Grant and Krissy Miltiadou
Theme Composer: Russell Stapleton
Host: Jan Fran
Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain

A production of ABC Audio Studios.

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