Advance Care Planning

Advance Care Planning is thinking ahead about the type of medical and healthcare decisions you would want made for you in the future, especially if you are seriously ill.

What would happen to you if an illness or an accident caused you to be unable to speak? Sharing healthcare wishes with loved ones is a valuable gift to those closest to you.

There are just 3 key steps for Advance Care Planning:

1. Name your health care agent.

Decide who you want as your health care agent, the person who makes medical decisions for you if you are unable to.
“Who do I trust to make my health care choices if I can’t?” Record his or her name and communicate with them about your choice.
Listen to Episode 6 of our podcast, Invaluable Gift: Conversation on Advance Directives, for guidance from a physician on how to have these discussions

2. Talk about your healthcare preferences.

Talk to your health care agent and loved ones, and have periodic discussions about what you would want done for you if you are unable to express those wishes for yourself.
Use our Resource Guides below to help frame these conversations
Conversation Starter Kits via The Conversation Project
NHPCO’s Communication tools

Get started now! Use our “Advance Care Planning and Serious Illness Conversations” resource guides to help you think about and plan for the future. These simple guidelines will walk you through the process, offering helpful suggestions on how to approach these conversations.

3. Document your decisions

You can store the information online at https://mydirectives.com/
Use the Maryland Advance Directive form

Make sure you’re heard (even if you can’t speak for yourself).

Your preparation of an advanced directive can prevent future confusion, chaos, and stress for yourself and loved ones when the unexpected occurs. By planning ahead, your preferences for your care can still be “heard” – especially during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resources

Additional ACP Forms & Options: Advance Care Planning and Advance Directives

ACPforAA: Advance Care Planning for African Americans

A collaboration between our Center for Learning and Heart Tones™, providing educational resources on Advance Care Planning for African American communities.