What to expect:
Our advanced planning service aims to guide individuals and their care partners through essential discussions about their healthcare preferences. We assist in directing you to resources that can help you create documents such as wills, enduring power of attorney, and personal directives.
For people living with Parkinsonism
Individuals living with Parkinsonism can expect support in making decisions about their healthcare preferences, end-of-life care, and establishing their goals of care. Our service provides a structured approach to addressing these critical aspects.
For care partners
Care partners play a significant role in advanced planning. We provide guidance and support to help care partners understand and fulfil their loved one’s wishes. This includes discussing power of attorney and end-of-life decisions, ensuring that these preferences are respected.
Essential documents
Some documents are essential for planning your estate, ensuring your medical wishes are respected, and designating trusted individuals to act on your behalf in various capacities. It’s important to consult with a legal professional to create these documents properly, as the requirements and regulations may vary depending on your jurisdiction. Additionally, it’s crucial to keep these documents updated as your circumstances and preferences may change over time.
What documents do I need?
There are four documents that are essential to advanced planning: a will, enduring power of attorney, a personal directive and goals of care.
If you want to learn more about Advanced Planning please visit Advance Care Planning: Preparing for Your Future Healthcare or Advanced Planning.
A will is a legal document that outlines your wishes regarding the distribution of your property, possessions, and assets after your death.
It names beneficiaries who will receive your assets.
If you set up a trust for dependents, you also need to appoint a trustee to manage and distribute the trust assets. Usually, the executor and trustee are the same person, but it's wise to have a backup in case the named person is unable or unwilling to act.
The executor/trustee should be someone you trust, typically a family member or close friend. Alternatively, you can designate a financial institution to manage your estate.
If you want to learn more, please visit Wills in Alberta or Wills in Canada.
An EPOA is a legal document that grants someone of your choosing the authority to act as your attorney. This person can manage your legal and financial affairs, including access to your bank accounts and government records.
An EPOA can be effective immediately or can be enacted when you become unable to make your own decisions, often due to incapacitation.
If you wan to learn more, please visit Enduring power of attorney in Alberta or EPOA Canada.
A personal directive is a legal document that outlines your wishes regarding health-related decisions and end-of-life care.
It allows you to appoint an agent who will make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so.
You can specify your preferences for medical treatments, such as whether you want to be resuscitated, your comfort preferences, how you want to be treated, and where you want to receive care.
It also allows you to communicate your end-of-life wishes and what you want your loved ones to know.
If you want to learn more, please visit Personal Directive in Alberta or Personal Directives Act - Open Government Program.
- Goals of Care (GOC) are crucial for advanced care planning to comprehensively understanding and defining the overarching objectives that guide patient care.
- It serves as a way of transparent communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals, patients, and their families, ensuring that the provided care aligns closely with the individual's values, preferences, and medical conditions.
- If you want to learn about Goals of Care Designation order.