Advance Care Planning
Planning for the end of life is one of the most important and practical steps you can take, not just for yourself, but for the people around you. It is never too early to start. Whether you are healthy, living with a chronic condition, or supporting someone else, having a plan in place gives you clarity, control and peace of mind. End of life planning is about making your preferences known, documenting what matters to you, and ensuring your wishes are understood and respected when it matters most. It reduces uncertainty, eases the burden on loved ones, and allows you to focus on living well now, knowing the future has been thoughtfully considered.
Recording wishes and preferences
Disclaimer: Each state and territory has different legal requirements for documenting preferences and appointing decision-makers. This resource provides Tasmanian guidance.
In Tasmania, a person with decision-making capacity can record their values, preferences and instructions for future health care in an Advance Care Directive.
An Advance Care Directiveis a legal document that lets you record instructions about refusing medical treatment and under what circumstances. In Tasmania, only instructions to refuse or withhold treatments are legally binding. Instructions to consent aren’t legally binding.
This information sheet [PDF 213 KB] will help you fill in the form.
A person under 18 can complete the form; in these cases a health professional must sign it.
There are four key documents that can help clearly communicate your wishes.
- Enduring Guardian
- Enduring Power of Attorney
- Substitute Decision Maker
- Advance Care Directive
Completing these documents is voluntary, but they can be a valuable way to guide decisions and ensure preferences are respected. Some parts of these documents are legally binding. This means they must be followed by health professionals and others who may need to make decisions on the person’s behalf. Each of these documents can only be completed while the person still has decision making ability.
Learn more about expressing your values and preferences or making specific instructions.
