Advance Care Planning and Advance Healthcare Directives

What is an advance healthcare directive?

An advance healthcare directive informs family, friends and doctors of your wishes for your treatment in the event you can no longer communicate them yourself.

It’s a legally binding document where you write down what healthcare treatments you wouldn’t like in the future. The Irish Hospice Foundation’s Think Ahead Form contains a legally binding Advance Care Directive. If you want to order a Think Ahead form please click here.

You can write what treatments you would like to receive, too. These preferences are not legally binding, but health professionals are obliged to explain why they did not follow your preferences.

An advance healthcare directive relates specifically to your health care and your wishes with regard to your personal health.