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Planning for the future: Why it should be a priority

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Southern Cross Care

Planning for the future Why it should be a priority Planning for the future

Being proactive about your future empowers you to shape your senior years and bring peace of mind to yourself and your loved ones.

Conversations with loved ones

Planning for your future is a team effort. It involves discussing your wishes with key people in your life, including family, friends, doctors, caregivers, and health professionals. Often, families avoid these conversations until it's too late. Your loved ones might assume you're fine because you haven't communicated your needs. So take time to think about your next steps and share your wishes with them.

 

Advance Care Planning

Advance Care Directives and Medical Treatment Decision Makers are both a part of the advance care planning process, but serve distinct roles:

  • Creating an Advance Care Directive

    An Advance Care Directive outlines your medical preferences and instructions for situations when you can't communicate your wishes due to a medical condition. It covers matters such as resuscitation, life support, and specific treatments. These legally recognised documents must be considered by healthcare professionals and your chosen medical treatment decision maker - who will likely be a partner, family member or close friend.

     

  • Appointing a Medical Treatment Decision Maker

    A Medical Treatment Decision Maker is someone you designate to make healthcare choices on your behalf when you can't. They follow your Advance Care Directive but can also make decisions beyond its scope, based on their understanding of your preferences and best interests. Writing your preferences down in an Advanced Care Directive helps this important person in your life to make the right decisions for you.

These components work together to ensure your medical preferences are honoured, with someone you trust making decisions on your behalf if the need arises.

 

Choosing a Power of Attorney

Power of Attorney documentation allows you to appoint a trusted person (partner, family member, lawyer, or friend) to handle financial and legal matters if you can't due to illness or injury. You can opt for a time-limited general Power of Attorney or an Enduring Power of Attorney that persists even if you lose mental capacity. A Power of Attorney doesn't cover medical decisions unless they are explicitly granted that authority.

 

Making your Will

Having a Will in place ensures your finances and estate are managed according to your wishes, sparing your family from legal complexities. Your Will's executor can be a family member, a trusted friend, or a legal professional who handles any aged care, medical bills, and estate repayments.

It’s important to note that some of the terms mentioned in this article (e.g. Advance Care Planning, Advance Care Directives, Medical Treatment Decision and Power of Attorney) may be termed differently depending on the state you live in, so it’s important to check.

 

Planning for your future involves some personal preparation, meaningful discussions, and legal arrangements. Southern Cross Care’s Social Workers assist in initiating Advance Care Planning conversations to help you establish a secure path for your future and can guide you towards other services that might help you plan for your future.

 

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