• Advance Care Planning: Ensuring your voice is heard

    Advance Care Planning: Ensuring your voice is heard

    During National Advance Care Planning Week (16–22 March 2026), we are all encouraged to reflect on what matters most, and what we want to happen if we are no longer able to speak for ourselves.

    In aged care, these conversations are especially important.

    At Resthaven, advance care planning is embedded across both residential and community services and is supported by specially trained palliative care nurses, Karen Gregory and Claire Tan. At Resthaven residential sites, chaplains provide spiritual care and help to support people to have a good life and a good death.

    This year, Resthaven is embracing Advance Care Planning Australia’s theme of ‘Your story, your choice’ and honouring the fact that every resident, every client, and every story is unique.

    ‘Conversations around advance care planning should be ongoing and evolving,’ Karen says. ‘Talking about death and dying is not always easy, but these discussions are extremely important. For some older people, there can be a sense of relief in preparing for their death – although everyone will have their unique way of processing this important work.’

    Advance care planning ensures that a person’s values, preferences and health care wishes are known and respected. This planning can significantly ease the burden on families.

    Having clear plans in place:

    • Guides care teams and families during difficult moments
    • Reduces stress and uncertainty for loved ones
    • Ensures treatment aligns with personal values and goals
    • Supports dignity at the end of life.

    As highlighted by End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC), advance care planning is an essential part of quality health care, and aged care services play a crucial role in supporting older people to have these discussions.

    ‘At Resthaven, these conversations begin when someone first engages with aged care and continue through routine assessments and changes in health status,’ Karen says. ‘We ensure the care and support we provide always reflects the individual’s goals and preferences.’

    What Is an Advance Care Directive?

    An Advance Care Directive (ACD) is a legal document that records a person’s wishes about future health care and personal decisions. It is used if a person loses decision-making capacity.

    Advance Care Directive Kit imageIt may include considerations such as:

    • What is important to me?
    • What treatments do I want — or want to avoid?
    • What does quality of life mean to me?
    • Where would I prefer to receive care?
    • Who can make decisions for me if I cannot?

    Karen reinforces the importance of early and meaningful communication.

    ‘Communication is very important. We want people to be having these conversations early and to explore them deeply. That way, we can carry out these wishes and best support everyone involved.’

    Taking the First Step

    Resthaven is one of the many locations where the free Advance Care Directive (ACD) kits are available to the public and can be provided on request. You can also pick one up at public libraries and Services SA offices, or they can also be ordered through the Advance Care Planning Australia website, with the option for a digital copy (South Australian Government – Advance Care Directive online form)

    Need additional support? Advance Care Planning has a range of resources and guides to assist.