National Advanced Care Planning Day

Advanced care planning. What is it? 

Why do we need it? When should we do it? 

April 16th is Advanced Care Planning Day. 

It is a day to recognize and bring thought to planning for the future. Advanced care planning in Ontario is identified as "power of attorney." Making a living will that organizes your thoughts and wishes regarding your care in moments where your capacity would be limited and you would be left without a voice. 

Planning for the unknown, growing older, and looking into the future can be overwhelming and scary. However, it is important to plan for the inevitable and the unforeseen.   

From the small things to the big stuff, it's essential to document your wishes for your future care before you or your family are burdened with those decisions when the time comes. 

We recognize the overwhelming difficulty. Having direct conversations dealing with illness, disability, death, and dying can bring you and your loved ones.  

Unfortunately, life is not eternal, and discussing this before it's too late is essential.

Families are often left to deal with the guesswork of making complex medical and other end-of-life decisions, leading to resentment and arguments among family members who disagree. You are never too old or too young to plan. We are each unique in our own lives, and we have a journey that is a whole individual. The reality that life can be short, long, painful, and full of complex parts is the burden of the unknown.  

64% of people don't have a Will, and less than 17% have an advanced care directive. This leaves a massive gap in medical care, funeral planning, and financial estates. We need to close that gap to ensure that we, the individuals, have our personal needs met and that the people we hold closest are taken care of and able to make the best decisions for us when the time comes.  

The best-laid plans start with education.  

- Do you know what medical treatments look like? 

- Do you know your family health history? 

- Do you know what you want your end-of-life journey to look like? 

- Do you have stories, artifacts, or history you want to share with your loved ones?  

The first and most significant step in advanced care planning is to think about it. Think about all of the hard things. Educate yourself on medical treatments and make decisions that best suit the quality of life you want to uphold and any wishes you may have after your passing.  

The next step is to decide who can make these decisions when you can no longer make them yourself. This person is legally called a substitute decision maker or power of attorney. Most people choose their partner or children to make decisions for them. An appointed decision-maker can also be established if you don't have family or family members deemed unfit to make those decisions.

Now that you have chosen who you want as your decision maker, it's essential to ensure that the person is willing to take on the responsibility that comes with that. Not everyone is capable of making decisions that can be overwhelming. Remember that this can feel like your life in their hands.  

It's also essential that the person knows your values, wishes, and thoughts, and you know they will make the choices that you would want most during difficult circumstances.

Now that you've chosen your decision maker, it's time to write it down. Advanced directive templates are easy to source online or with the help of an estate lawyer. Each province, territory, and state has different laws regarding what can be held up in court. End of life planning journals are also a good way to document your thoughts and wishes.

E.X.I.T Digital Vault also allows you to store and update any relevant documentation that your loved ones may need during the decision-making process. Exit Life Ready is an end of life planning app that can help with the advanced care planning.

Ensuring that your wishes are notarized, signed, and witnessed by the correct people also ensures the legitimacy of any documents in case of resistance from relatives or documents filed with ill intentions.

In addition to ensuring that everything is legally sound, while a basic template is sufficient, being as detailed as possible is more favorable. Even if you think the answer is obvious and everyone knows precisely what you want, your family might have their own biases that can work against your wishes.

Now that you have an advanced directive, it's time to open the conversation with your family.

Take a deep breath. It's okay.

Death and disability are scary. Often, the topic is brushed over, whispered, or met with a paralyzing unwillingness even to entertain. Slowly opening the conversation can be the most convenient way to ensure your loved ones know your wishes. 

What else do you want your family and loved ones to have when your voice is lost?

We call this legacy work. End of Life Doulas also known as death doulas, provide non medical holistic support to individuals and their families during the toughest moments of their life.  (End of Life Doulas, can help you learn more if you wish @ Home Hospice North)

Millions of people search for family history and archives. There's a constant curiosity about where and who we come from. In many cultures, there's a three-death rule. You die a physical death, where your body is no longer with us; a second death, where the people you knew are no longer living; and a third death, when nothing of yours is left in the world.

Legacy work is your voice, memories, and story preserved for generations. It's a ring passed down, a journal full of your handwriting, photos, videos, and those secret recipes that no one will ever quite get right.

What parts of yourself do you want to leave with the world in your absence?  

Advanced care planning is not a one-and-done deal. You don't need all the answers right away. Your thoughts, views, opinions, and personal relationships should and are constantly evolving. You can create your directive, then change or tweak things as time passes. The world changes, and so do your wishes. You can at least relax knowing that the basics are covered. An overwhelming time is made easier with a plan in place. Some of the burden to your loved ones weighs a little less. 


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