Planning
Advanced Care Planning
There may come a time when, due to illness or
injury, you are not able to express your health
care wishes. By planning in advance, you can be
sure that your family, friends and/or health care
providers know your wishes and can ensure these
wishes are followed.
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Advanced care planning begins by thinking about your beliefs, values
and wishes regarding future health care treatment and talking about them
with family or friends and your health care provider. If the people you trust
know what you find important in regard to your future health care
treatment, it is easier for them to make decisions on your behalf.
Advanced Care Planning Options:
Temporary Substitute Decision maker:
A temporary substitute decision maker (TSDM) is chosen if you have not
legally named an individual to make health care decisions for you when
you are incapable of making them yourself. The TSDM is chosen by your
doctor or other health care provider from a list you can fill out. The order
of the people who qualify to be on the list is determined by B.C. law.
Representation Agreements
There are two types:
Standard Agreement
A standard agreement allows you to name an individual to make
decisions about the routine management of your financial affairs, your
personal care, some health care decisions and treatment decisions. It
does not allow your representative to make health care treatment
decisions for you that involve refusing life support or life-prolonging
medical interventions.
Enhanced Agreement
An enhanced agreement allows you to name an individual to make
decisions about personal care and health care treatments, including
decisions about accepting or refusing life support and life-prolonging
medical interventions. The individual may not make decisions about
your financial matters. You would need to appoint them as power of
attorney to allow them to make financial decisions.
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