There may be a time in your life where you cannot make your own decisions.

This could be because of a sudden accident or illness. An Advance Care Directive empowers you to make clear legal arrangements for your future health care, end of life, preferred living arrangements and other personal matters.

An Advance Care Directive is a legal form that allows people aged 18 years and older with decision-making capacity to:

• write down their wishes, preferences and instructions for future health care, end of life, living arrangements and personal matters and/or
• appoint one or more Substitute Decision-Makers to make these decisions on their behalf when they are unable to do so themselves.

What an Advanced Care Directive is not: It cannot be used to make financial decisions.

If you have written a refusal of health care, it must be followed if relevant to the circumstances at the time. All other information written in your Advance Care Directive is advisory and should be used as a guide to decision making by your Substitute Decision-Maker/s, your health practitioners or anyone else making decisions on your behalf.

It is your choice whether or not to write an Advance Care Directive.

No one can force you to have one or to write things you do not want. These are offences under the law.

You can change your Advance Care Directive at any time while you are still able by completing a new Advance Care Directive form (PDF 434KB).

This Advance Care Directive is not a will. It cannot be used to make financial decisions. It is recommended you think about appointing an Enduring Power of Attorney to make decisions about your future finance matters.

When is the right time to complete an Advance Care Directive?

You can write an Advance Care Directive at any stage of life – whether you are young, older, healthy or unwell. To write an Advance Care Directive, it must be your choice and you must:

• be 18 years old or over
• know what an Advance Care Directive is
• know what it will be used for and,
• know when it will be used.

When can the Advance Care Directive be used?

Your Advance Care Directive can only be used if you are unable to make your own decisions, whether temporarily or permanently.

If you cannot:

• understand information about the decision
• understand and appreciate the risks and benefits of the choices
• remember the information for a short time; and
• tell someone what the decision is and why you have made the decision.

It means you are unable to make the decision (sometimes called impaired decision making capacity) and someone else will need to make the decision for you.

How do I complete an Advance Care Directive?

You can complete your Advance Care Directive Form (PDF 455KB) in more than one way:

• By hand
  You can print and complete the Advance Care Directive Form by hand.
• Electronically and then print
  You can complete your PDF Advance Care Directive Form electronically and then print it. Digital signatures for Substitute Decision-Makers and interpreters are available on the form.
• Online
  You can complete your Advance Care Directive Form online.

If you would like to complete an Advanced Care Directive, head to the SA health website!