Holly Canavan, Social Work Team Leader, talks about living wills
Let’s Talk About Your Future Healthcare
None of us like to think about getting seriously ill or being unable to make decisions about our own care, but planning ahead can make all the difference.
In this monthly column, Holly Canavan, Social Work Team Leader talks about Advanced Healthcare Directives, what they are and what they mean.
An Advance Healthcare Directive, is also called a living will.
It is a document that lets you spell out the medical treatments you would want, or not want if you couldn’t speak for yourself.
For example, some people may choose not to be put on life support, or might decide against resuscitation if their heart stops.
You can appoint someone you trust to be your Designated Healthcare Representative. Their role is to make sure your wishes are followed if you are not able to speak for yourself.
When it comes to future healthcare planning, there are two documents that can help:
- Your Advance Healthcare Plan outlines your general wishes around end-of-life care. It is a chance to say where you would like to be cared for, how you would like to be treated, and what matters most to you.
- Your Advance Healthcare Directive is the formal, legal document where you set out medical treatments you want to refuse, and ones that you would chose to agree to, in case you can’t make decisions in future.
The Directive is legally binding when it comes to what you do not want, like refusing specific treatments. It is about making sure your voice is heard, even if you are unable to speak.
If you would like help getting started, the Irish Hospice Foundation offers a useful Think Ahead Planning Pack.
It includes tools to prepare both your plan and directive.
You can also get guidance from the Decision Support Service, a government body that helps people who may need support making decisions about their care.
We should all take some time to think about how and where we want to be cared for, and what we want to happen. Setting it out in advance makes your wishes clearer for those who need to know.
