Advance Care Directive

An Advance Care Directive lets you set out, in advance, the medical treatment you would or would not want — and may also appoint a substitute decision-maker — for a time when you cannot speak for yourself. It is sometimes called a "living will", though it has nothing to do with your Will and operates only while you are alive. It works alongside guardianship arrangements so that doctors and your Enduring Guardian understand your values about life-sustaining treatment, resuscitation and palliative care. A directive made while you had capacity generally must be respected.

Advance Care Directives are commonly used to refuse unwanted aggressive treatment, to request comfort-focused care, or to record religious or personal values guiding medical decisions. Example: In her Advance Care Directive, Sofia recorded that she did not want CPR or tube feeding if she reached the final stages of a terminal illness. The name and rules vary widely by state — "Advance Care Directive" in SA and the ACT, "Advance Health Directive" in Queensland and WA, and other forms elsewhere — so use the document recognised where you live.