Advance Care Planning

Imagine you suddenly find yourself at a critical point in your life, and you are unable to speak due to an illness or sudden life-changing event. How will people know what health treatments you want? Creating an advance care plan, often called an advance directive, ensures your desires are met and that you have the ability to determine who will act on your behalf.

Make an advance care plan

Regardless of your age or current state of health, if you are over 18, the best time to make an advance care plan is now.

Get started by following these steps:

1. Reflect on the values and beliefs about end of life. What makes life meaningful for you and what situations might make life seem meaningless? What brings pleasure and joy to your life? This Advance Care Planning: Making Your Wishes Known Booklet may help you focus your thoughts.
2. Talk with health care professionals about medical treatments for the very ill or injured. Discuss the benefits and risks of those treatments.
3. Reflect on the role that spirituality has on your life. What are your religious, cultural, and spiritual values around life and death?
4. Discuss your choices and wishes with those closest to you.
5. Choose who you would want to speak for you if you could not speak or make medical decisions.
6. Complete your forms.

Watch this video to learn more about advance directives.

Helpful links

• Advance Health Care Planning: Making Your Wishes Known Booklet
• An Advance Health Care Directive Form — legal form for state of Minnesota
• Honoring Choices of Wisconsin — Wisconsin Medical Society
• The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
• Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care
• Power of Attorney for Health Care form — legal form for state of Wisconsin
• Respecting Choices
• Senior Linkage Line — Minnesota Board on Aging