Getting your legal documents in order for the future

If your loved one is getting ready to move into aged care living, planning for the future is essential. Moving into a residential aged care home is a significant life transition, and preparing for it will ensure a smoother journey. There are a range of important documents and directives that will help you address your future care and well-being. 

At Hillview Care, we encourage all our residents to plan for the future. Let’s talk about what you can do to get your legal documents in order before moving into aged care. 

Wills and enduring Power of Attorney

Wills: 

If you don’t already have a will, it’s definitely beneficial to create one. We understand it can appear overwhelming, but it’s a pretty straightforward process. You can either work with a solicitor or, if eligible, utilise the free services from the Public Trustee. There are also DIY will kits available. 

By having a legally binding will in place, you can ensure your assets and possessions are distributed according to your personal wishes after you pass. If you already have a will, it’s always good to review it to ensure your wishes and beneficiaries are up-to-date. 

You will also need to appoint an executor, which is an essential role in fulfilling your will’s instructions. Your executor is the person responsible for managing your estate according to the terms and conditions specified in your will. It’s crucial to select someone you trust for this role, as they will play a significant part in ensuring your wishes are carried out exactly as you intended.

Enduring Power of Attorney:

Creating a will is important but it’s just as important to organise your Enduring Power of Attorney. Your Power of Attorney is someone you can trust, who will have the authority to make important legal and financial decisions on your behalf if you can’t do so. 

Enduring Guardianship and Advance Care Directives Planning

Planning for Enduring Guardianship and advance care directives allows you to protect your future interests and ensure that you receive care aligned with your values. Your choices and wishes matter, and these legal documents help guarantee they are honoured even when you can’t express them directly.

Advance Care Directives:

Advance Care Directives are often referred to as a ‘living will’ and allows you to formalise your future care preferences, beliefs, values and goals about medical treatment and end-of-life care. By completing the documents you can appoint someone you trust as a healthcare decision-maker if you lose the ability to make choices for yourself. Advance Care Directives can include: 

• Noting specific goals and values regarding your medical treatment.
• Outlining decisions about life-sustaining treatments, organ donation and autopsy preferences. 
• Sharing the types of medical care you’re happy to receive or refuse in different situations. 
• Appointing someone you trust or a health care proxy who can speak on your behalf. 

Your Advance Care Directives bind healthcare professionals to make decisions regarding your health and well-being.

Enduring Guardianship:

Enduring Guardianship is the formal, legal way to appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf. While an enduring Power of Attorney relates to financial and property matters, Enduring Guardianship relates to personal, lifestyle and medical treatment decisions. Enduring Guardianship can relate to:

• Medical treatment and procedures.
• Living arrangements (such as choosing a residential aged care home).
• Consent for medical or dental procedures. 
• Other lifestyle-related choices. 

You must be sound of mind when appointing someone for Enduring Guardianship. 

Transitioning into residential aged care on the Gold Coast

Thoughtful planning goes a long way in making things easier for you and your loved ones in the future. Making these important decisions before you move into residential aged care can secure your well-being and ensure your rights are withheld, even if you can’t make decisions for yourself. 

At HillView Care, we understand the importance of these preparations. Our commitment is more than just providing safe, high-quality care, but supporting you in every aspect of your journey. We’ll do everything we can to help make the transition into our aged care homes easy and hassle-free.