Advance care planning is a way of thinking and talking about what matters to you, and what you would want if your health changed or you could no longer speak for yourself.

It is not only for people who are dying. You can begin while you are well, after a diagnosis, or whenever planning ahead feels important.

An advance care plan can record your values, goals, care preferences and the people you want involved. An advance directive is more specific: it records your consent to or refusal of treatments that might be offered in the future if you are no longer able to communicate your wishes.

How I can help you with your plan

You do not have to work through these decisions alone. I can help you:

• Explore what matters most to you, in your own words

• Work through the guide at a pace that feels manageable

• Identify questions to discuss with your doctor or healthcare team

• Prepare for conversations with family or whānau

• Record who you want involved in decisions about your care

• Think about your wishes for comfort, culture, spirituality and the end of life

• Review and share your completed plan with the appropriate peopleI can support your thinking, conversations and planning, but I do not provide medical or legal advice. Treatment decisions and advance directives should be discussed with your healthcare team.