Values and preferences

Think about your personal values, what you enjoy and what gives your life meaning.

• What makes life worth living or gives it meaning?
• What do you enjoy, and what makes you happy?
• What makes you proud or brings you a sense of achievement?
• What short and long-term goals do you have? For example, attending a birthday, going on a holiday
• What or who brings you strength, or makes you feel strong?
• Are there cultural, spiritual or family traditions or events that matter to you?
• What would you want, or not want in your life, now and in the future?

Think about your health and what could change in the future.

• How is your health now?
• Do you feel you have a good understanding of your current health?
• How does your current health affect your life?
• How might your medical conditions progress?

Think about who you want to involve in your health care.

• Who would you like to talk to about your future health care?
• What topics would you like to talk about with each person?
• Who would you trust to speak for you and make decisions if you’re unable to?

Learn more about choosing someone to speak for you.

Think about the people close to you.

• How much would you want your family and/or loved ones to know if you were very sick?
• How involved should your family be in your health care decisions?

Learn more about talking to family and loved ones.

Think about what you’d want if you were nearing the end of your life.

• Where would you want to get most of your care?
• What would comfort you near death? This might be favourite music, having particular people with you, or other things that would make the environment comforting.
• Are there any special traditions or spiritual support you need?
• Do you have any worries or concerns about the end of your life, such as unfinished personal business, ticking off bucket list items or being on Country?
• Are there spiritual, religious, or cultural practices that should happen before or after you die?
• Do you want to donate your organs or tissue?

Which of the following fits with your values and preferences?

• Keep me alive as long as possible, no matter the impact to my quality of life
• Preserve my quality of life in line with my personal values
• Keep me comfortable and allow me to die naturally

Learn more about life prolonging treatments and palliative care.

Think about the outcomes that you would or would not want.

• What abilities do you need to maintain your dignity? For example, going to the toilet independently
• What function and abilities do you need to live the way you want? For example, being able to live in your own home by yourself
• What would be your minimum acceptable outcome? For example, feed yourself, think for yourself

Would you accept treatment if it meant the following might happen?

• You wouldn't recognise or be able to talk to loved ones
• You were unable to eat or drink
• You could no longer live independently in your own home
• You could no longer tell people your needs
• It would please your family, even if it's not what you'd like

How important are these to you?

• Avoid suffering or discomfort
• Avoid physical or cognitive limitations
• Have a good quality of life
• Have as much time with family as you can
• Not be a burden on your family
• Live as long as possible, no matter what happens

Think about your past health care experiences.

• Have you, or anyone else you know, had a good or bad experience with health care?
• Has this experience shaped your views about the sort of care you would or wouldn’t like to have?
• What do you wish had been different, and why?