Planning Ahead - Why Advance Care Planning Matters
When Meena's* mum started needing more help at home, the family slipped into a new routine. Her brother handled the gardening and lawn mowing. Meena managed her mums shopping, medical appointments and doctor's visits. They were doing their best to keep things steady and organised while working and looking after their families. It was doable but both siblings were becoming stretched.
Then, after a scare with her mum's health and a stressful hospital stay, one important question hung in the air, what would Mum want if her health took a turn for the worse?
It was the sudden realisation that Meena and her brother didn't know if Mum wanted to pass at home, if she had planned for her funeral, where her important paperwork was and what mattered most to her?
That is where advance care planning can make a real difference. It creates space for those conversations before stress takes over, and it helps keep the older person's wishes at the centre.
(*Fictional example, shaped from the real questions families often ask at this stage.)
What is Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning is about setting out a plan for a person's current and future health care. It involves talking with loved ones, doctors and anyone involved in their care about values, beliefs, and preferences, so everyone understands what matters and what the plan is if their loved one cannot communicate their wishes later.
It is also worth saying what advance care planning is not. It is not only for the final days of life, and it is not only for people diagnosed with a terminal illness.
If you have a long term health condition, it is particularly important to consider what your preferences and wishes are.
Advance care planning can be considered by anyone, regardless of age or health, and these conversations can begin well before a crisis. Formal paperwork may be part of the process for some people, but the conversation itself is often the starting point.
Much like making a will, advance care planning is about planning for the future.
Why it matters
Early conversations can reduce pressure later. Advance care planning helps loved ones and doctors understand a person's health and personal preferences, which can give everyone some peace of mind. When families already understand what matters most, they may feel less unsure if decisions need to be made under stress.
These conversations can begin when a person is well and continue throughout life. That makes sense for people being supported at home, where needs can change gradually over time. Planning ahead creates room for choice and dignity before things feel urgent.
It can also help to prepare in advance and write down values and preferences. There is no right or wrong way to pass on what matters. For some families, that may mean one clear conversation around the kitchen table. For others, it may happen across several smaller conversations as confidence grows.
How to support an older person to express what matters
A good first step is to slow the conversation down and make it about the person, not the paperwork. Beginning with what the person wants, being open about it, and talking with loved ones can help.
That may mean asking simple questions such as who they trust, what helps them feel comfortable, and what they would want others to understand about their care.
It can be helpful to think about preferences such as whether your loved one wants to be cared for at home, who would provide care, and who would make decisions if the person could not.
Those questions can help keep the discussion grounded in everyday life, rather than making it feel overwhelming.
It can also help to remember that not everyone will want to talk in the same way or at the same pace.
Some people may want to write things down. Others may speak more freely in a quiet moment at home, or after a change in health has made planning feel more real. The important part is that the older person feels listened to, not rushed.
The role of families and carers
Families and carers play an important role. Their role is often to listen well, make space for the older person's wishes, and help carry those wishes forward when needed.
These conversations matter because they let loved ones know what the person wants, and they help family, friends, carers and doctors understand how the person would like to be cared for.
Some people may also choose to appoint someone they trust to make decisions if they are no longer able to do so.
How this connects to everyday support at home
For older people being supported at home, care planning is not separate from daily life. It sits alongside the practical supports that help someone stay safe, comfortable and heard in their own environment.
Support at home may include nursing care, help around the house, personal care, meal assistance, transport and therapies.
Knowing what matters to the person can help shape how those supports are discussed and coordinated over time.
These conversations help connect care to the person's routines, relationships and sense of dignity, not just their clinical needs. Even when support needs increase, the goal can still be to keep the older person's preferences central to the decisions being made around them.
If your loved one choses to, their advance care plan can be formalised through an advanced care directive. Sometimes called a 'living will', an advance care directive is a type of written advance care plan.
For more information on advanced care directives, visit the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability & Aging website page Australian Government Department of Health, Disability & Aging website page.
How our team supports respectful, values-led conversations
At BCD we understand these conversations are deeply personal. They deserve time, sensitivity and respect. Advanced care planning is embedded into our service delivery model for Support at Home customers and forms part of the personalised onboarding process when someone joins us.
These conversations are often easier to have when they are not immediately needed, many people find it easier to talk about these things when there is no immediate pressure, allowing time to reflect and involve family or trusted people if you choose, and to talk things through without the pressure of difficult circumstances. It also gives the opportunity to share wishes, preferences and values for the future.
Advanced care planning is built into our broader care planning process and is revisited over time as an older person's needs change, your care plan is never fixed. As needs, health, or circumstances change, or as they move into later or end-of-life phases, we revisit these conversations with families to ensure care continues to reflect what matters most, through every stage of your ageing journey.
Our goal is to make sure chosen advanced care planning and end of life choices guide the care and support being received.
Practical tips for starting the conversation
The hardest part is starting the conversation but advance care planning does not need to be complicated, and starting the conversation with loved ones is often the next step.
Often, a few gentle questions are enough to get started:
What matters most to you if your health changes?
Who would you want involved in decisions?
What would help you feel respected and comfortable?
Is there anything you want us to understand now, rather than guess later?
Once those first conversations have started, a few common questions often come up.
FAQs
Does it have to start with a formal document?
No. Advance care planning often starts with thinking about what matters to you and talking with loved ones. A written advance care directive is something a person may choose later, but it is not the only way to begin.
Is advance care planning only for people receiving palliative care?
No. Advance care planning can be considered by anyone, regardless of age or health, and a person does not need to have a terminal illness to start talking about future health care preferences.
Should plans be reviewed over time?
Yes. It is important to keep an advance care directive and any plans up to date and review it when preferences change, when the substitute decision-maker changes, or when a medical condition changes.
Planning ahead is an act of care, for yourself and the people you love. It can help protect choice, dignity and clarity, especially when support at home becomes more complex. Starting the conversation early does not mean expecting the worst. It means making room for what matters most.
Need Help?
If you or someone you love is approaching the end of life and would like to remain at home, our BCD Nursing Services team can help you understand your options and access the right support. Together, we can make every moment count.
Give us a call on on 1800 275 223 or get in touch through our contact form and we'll call you straight back. We're here to help!
Sources
- My Aged Care - End-of-life care:https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/types-care/end-life-care
- Department of Health and Aged Care - Advance care planning: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/palliative-care/planning-your-palliative-care/advance-care-planning
Disclaimer
The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the content, we encourage you to visit the relevant government websites for the most up-to-date and official information.