Advance Care Planning

Make Your Healthcare Wishes Known

Advance Care Planning is a process of understanding, reflecting on, discussing, and documenting your wishes in a Health Care Advance Directive to plan for a time when you cannot make your own medical decisions.

A Health Care Advance Directive is a free, legally binding document, suggested for everyone over the age of 18. It tells your healthcare team what medical care you want and designates a proxy decision maker, allowing you to be cared for as you planned while also providing comfort to loved ones.

Filling Out Your Health Care Advance Directive

The State of Maine has a free Advance Directive form online. You can also schedule a visit with your primary care provider to talk about your choices.

Once completed, a copy of the document should be given to the person whom you have identified as your proxy decision maker, and also filed with your healthcare providers and hospital medical records.