A Guide for People Considering Their Future Health Care

The advance of medical technology has over time resulted in our ability to live longer and to appreciate greater retirement opportunities at the prime of our years on earth.

The words ‘to live life to its fullest’ are exemplified today in light of such advances.

The sustenance of longevity though, beyond the constraints of disease and illness can also leave us at times in a position of greater suffering and uncertainty.

Many of us have experienced hardship when loved ones arrive at the end of their time on earth and we are required to make difficult decisions regarding their care. More often than usual these decisions remain in our minds and hearts with great uncertainty as to whether the decision was indeed what our loved one so desired.

It was for this reason that at the most recent Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference, the decision was made to endorse ‘A Guide For People Considering Their Future Health Care’ so that better support can be provided to families in preparing for this difficult life experience.

The guide provides us with a simple approach to how we can better prepare for this time in our lives, and relies on good, long-term communication with our family, friends and health care professionals.

By developing a plan for our future health care early on in our lives, we can all ensure that those that we care about remain with peace of mind, with the assurance that our wishes were enacted with dignity and choice, and with a richer experience of life to its fullest.

A summary and comprehensive version of ‘A Guide For People Considering Their Future Health Care’ can be downloaded here.

• ‘Comprehensive’ version (pdf)
• ‘Summary’ version (pdf)