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  • When a person cannot plan for their future

Plan for the future

  • Future planning in the time of COVID-19
  • Why plan ahead?
  • When a person cannot plan for their future
  • The planning process
  • Appointing a person to support you in making decisions
  • Making an enduring power of attorney
  • Making an advance care directive
  • Appointing a medical treatment decision maker
  • Forms
  • Advance care planning information for professionals
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When a person cannot plan for their future

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OPA has a number of resources to help carers plan for the future care of someone who cannot plan for their own future due to cognitive impairment.

Where possible, the person should be supported to make their own decisions.

See Appointing a person to support you in making decisions

Guardianship is a last resort, if there is no less restrictive alternative to safeguard the interests of an adult with disability. However, a guardian cannot be appointed in anticipation that a decision may need to be made in the future.

See When guardianship is needed

Resources for families and carers 

MTDM guide

A medical treatment decision maker’s guide for when the person lacks capacity to undertake advance care planning

This guide covers five areas that relate to making medical treatment decisions for a person who lacks medical decision making capacity to consent to their own treatment or to refuse that treatment:

  • How should medical decisions be made?
  • How can the medical treatment decision maker know what the person would want?
  • What challenges can a medical treatment decision maker expect?
  • What is the form ‘What I understand to be the person’s preferences and values’?
  • How are a person’s preferences and values translated into a medical treatment plan?

Download A medical treatment decision maker's guide >>

The form, ‘What I understand to be the person’s preferences and values’, is available to download from the Northern Health website.

Guide to NDIS cover

Guide to NDIS decision-making: When a decision can be made by, with, or for an adult with significant cognitive disability

The aim of this guide is to outline when decision-making support, advocacy and substitute decision-making will be needed for potential and current NDIS participants who have significant cognitive disability. It does this in the context of each possible decision-making stage within the NDIS participant pathway.

The guide takes account of State/Territory decision-making arrangements (including guardianship, administration/financial management and appointments under enduring powers of attorney) as well as the appointment of plan nominees within the NDIS.

The guide contains a flowchart that outlines a process to assist in determining what decision-making arrangement is appropriate to enable an adult participant to progress along the NDIS participant pathway. It also seeks to promote informal decision-making wherever possible.

Download the Guide to NDIS decision-making >>

NDIS flowchart

NDIS decision-making poster

An A3 full-colour flowchart outlining a process to assist in determining what decision-making arrangement is appropriate to enable an adult participant to progress along the NDIS participant pathway.

Download the  NDIS decision-making poster >>

Order a free copy by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Don't forget to include your full name and address!

 

Resources for clinicians

Clinicians Guide

A clinician's guide to medical treatment decision making for when the person lacks capacity to undertake advance care planning

This guide covers five areas that relate to making medical treatment decisions for a person who lacks medical decision making capacity to consent to their own treatment or to refuse that treatment:

  • How should medical decisions be made?
  • How can the medical treatment decision maker know what the person would want?
  • What challenges can a medical treatment decision maker expect?
  • What is the form ‘What I understand to be the person’s preferences and values’?
  • How are a person’s preferences and values translated into a medical treatment plan?

Download A clinician's guide to medical treatment decision making >>

The form, ‘What I understand to be the person’s preferences and values’, is available to download from the Northern Health website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Office of the Public Advocate is located on the land of the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. We acknowledge their history, culture and Elders both past and present.