Document your plan in a personal directive.
The next step in advance care planning is to document your plan. In Alberta, the legal document for this is called a
personal directive. In a personal directive you choose an alternate decision maker to be your agent—that is, the person who you’ve chosen to speak on your behalf if you can’t.
You can also write down any other information about your wishes and values related to healthcare in your personal directive.
The personal directive only comes into effect if you’re ever not able to make decisions about your healthcare. It can help reduce conflict or distress and bring comfort to those who are close to you, because it clearly states who your healthcare decision maker is and that this person is following your wishes.
Your personal directive can, and should be reviewed any time your health circumstances change or your wishes or values change. If you’d like more information about personal directives, contact the Office of the Public Guardian.
