Decision making and advance planning
Advance planning such as power or attorney and personal directives can help you prepare for future decisions in times of illness or injury.
Patients who can speak for themselves
Advance care planning
An important step in the advance care planning process is to choose and legally appoint someone – your agent – who can speak for you in the event you are unable to make medical decisions about your health care. Learn more about advance care planning.
Supported decision-making
Even if you are capable of making decisions, there may be times when you need someone to help make non-financial decisions. This is called supported decision-making. Find out how to set up supported decision-making and what a supporter can do to help.
One-time emergency decisions
Specific decision-making
Make a one-time decision for an adult relative who’s lost the capacity to make a decision about their health care or health-care facility. Find out who can be a specific decision-maker and how it works.
Plan ahead for illness or injury
There are a number of ways you and your health care team can prepare ahead for serious illness or injury.
Enduring power of attorney
If you’re no longer capable of making financial decisions, an enduring power of attorney agreement will allow someone you trust to make these decisions for you. Learn how to get an agreement for enduring power of attorney.
Advance care planning for patients with prolonged illness
An important step in the advance care planning process is to choose and legally appoint someone – your agent – who can speak for you about medical decisions, if your lengthy illness gets worse (despite treatment) and you’re nearing the end of your life. Learn more about advance care planning for patients with prolonged illness.
Advance care planning for a sudden injury
An important step in the advance care planning process is to choose and legally appoint someone – your agent – who can speak for you about medical decisions, if you suffer a serious and sudden injury. Learn more about advance care planning for a sudden injury.
Personal directive
If you suffer a serious injury or illness, you may not be able to make personal decisions. A personal directive will allow someone you’ve picked – your agent – to make these decisions for you. Learn how to prepare and register your personal directive.
Contact
To connect with the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee: