Common Mistakes in Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning is one of the most loving things a person can do. It gives clarity, reduces stress, and protects families from guessing in moments of crisis. And yet, many plans fail when they are needed most not because people do not care, but because they misunderstand what advance care planning actually requires.

Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Thinking a Will Is Enough

A Will only comes into effect after death. Advance care planning is about decisions made while you are still alive but unable to speak for yourself. If you have a Will but no Advance Care Directive, your medical team may not know your wishes. Your family may be left to make high-pressure decisions without guidance.

Advance care planning addresses:

• Life-prolonging treatment
  
• Resuscitation
  
• Artificial feeding
  
• Palliative care preferences

Who can make decisions for you

2. Completing the Form but Never Talking About It

This is one of the biggest mistakes. People fill in the document, file it away, and assume it is handled. But if your appointed decision maker has never heard your reasoning, they may still struggle when the moment comes.

A good plan includes:

• A conversation with your substitute decision maker
  
• A conversation with your family
  
• A conversation with your GP

Paperwork without conversation creates confusion. Conversation creates confidence.

3. Choosing the Wrong Decision Maker

Many people appoint the eldest child, the most convenient person, or whoever feels least awkward to choose. But this role is not about fairness it is about capacity.

Your medical decision maker must be:

• Calm under pressure
  
• Able to advocate strongly
  
• Willing to honour your wishes even if they disagree
  
• Emotionally steady in crisis

If they cannot stand up to doctors or other family members, your wishes may not be carried out.
Choose strength and integrity over sentiment.

4. Being Too Vague

Statements like:

• “I don’t want to suffer.”
  
• “I don’t want to be kept alive on machines.”

Sound clear but they are not.
Doctors need clarity. Families need context.

Instead, think about:

• What does quality of life mean to you?
  
• What level of cognitive function matters to you?
  
• Would you accept temporary life support if recovery was likely?
  
• Would you want treatment if recovery was unlikely?

Specific guidance makes decision-making far easier.

5. Not Updating the Plan

Advance care planning is not a once-in-a-lifetime task.
It should be reviewed:

• After a new diagnosis
  
• After major surgery
  
• After a significant life change
  
• Every few years as part of a routine health review

Values evolve. Health changes. Relationships shift.
An outdated document can create as many problems as no document at all.

6. Avoiding the Emotional Work

Many people approach advance care planning as a legal exercise. It is not. It is a values exercise.

It asks:

• What matters most to me at the end of life?
  
• What am I willing to endure for more time?
  
• What does dignity mean to me?

If you skip this reflection, the document becomes mechanical instead of meaningful. Take your time. Sit with the discomfort. That is where clarity lives.

7. Not Making It Accessible

If your Advance Care Directive is in a drawer that no one can find, it may not be used.

Make sure:

• Your GP has a copy
  
• Your hospital knows it exists
  
• Your decision maker has a copy
  
• Your family knows where it is stored

Some people also upload documents to My Health Record where available.
Accessibility is as important as completion.

8. Assuming It Is Only for the Elderly

Serious accidents and sudden illness do not check your age first.

Every adult should have:

• A nominated medical decision maker
  
• Clear guidance on treatment preferences

Advance care planning is not about expecting death.
It is about preparing responsibly for uncertainty.