Do Young Adults Need End-of-Life Plans?
When people hear “end-of-life planning,” they usually picture someone in their 70s or 80s, not someone in their 20s. But here’s the honest truth: once you turn 18 in Australia, you are legally responsible for your own medical and financial decisions. That means if something unexpected happens, no one automatically has the right to make decisions for you.
And that is exactly why young adults need end-of-life plans. Not because they are dying, but because life is unpredictable.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Young adults today travel, drive, live independently, have financial responsibilities and make their own healthcare decisions.
Yet most have:
- No Advance Care Directive
- No appointed Medical Treatment Decision Maker
- No enduring power of attorney
- No documented wishes
- No discussion with family
If an accident, a medical emergency or a critical illness happens, families are left scrambling. And often, they do not know what their young person would have wanted, leading to conflict, confusion and lasting trauma. This can be avoided with good planning.
What Happens in Victoria If There Is No Plan?
In Victoria, if someone loses capacity and has not appointed a Medical Treatment Decision Maker (MTDM), doctors must follow a legal hierarchy of “person responsible.”
According to the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act 2016, if no MTDM is in place the decision making will fall to the first available of the below:
- the spouse or domestic partner of the person;
- the primary carer of the person;
- the first of the following and, if more than one person fits the description in the subparagraph, the oldest of those persons:
(i) an adult child of the person;
(ii) a parent of the person;
(iii) an adult sibling of the person.
The appointed decision maker may not be the person the young adult would have chosen, or worse, may not have the emotional capacity to make hard but loving decisions.
“But I’m Young and Healthy”
Wonderful! This is exactly when you should plan. Planning is not a sign of fear, it is a sign of maturity. An end-of-life plan ensures:
- Your values are known
- Your loved ones are not burdened with impossible decisions
- Your digital life is managed
- Your belongings go where you want
- Your partner is protected
- Your family avoids conflict
Without documentation, assumptions can override intention.
“Okay, so what should I do?”
A simple, practical foundation includes:
- Advance Care Directive
Document your treatment preferences and values.
- Appoint a Medical Treatment Decision Maker
Choose someone you trust to speak on your behalf.
- Enduring Power of Attorney (Financial)
In case you lose capacity.
- Basic Will
Even if you do not own much, superannuation and digital assets matter.
- Digital Afterlife Plan
Passwords, social media instructions, subscriptions.
- Funeral and Interment Preferences
- You do not need every detail. Just enough guidance to reduce uncertainty.
The Emotional Reality
When a young adult dies unexpectedly, families are devastated.
But what often compounds the grief is uncertainty:
- “What would they have wanted?”
- “Would they have wanted life support?”
- “Would they want burial or cremation?”
- “Who should speak for them?”
- “What do we do with their social media?”
Grief is heavy enough, uncertainty makes it heavier. Planning is an act of care for the people you love.
Final Thought
If you are a young adult reading this, ask a simple question: “If something unexpected happened tomorrow, would my family know what I’d want?” If the answer is no, that is your starting point. Planning does not take long, and your family’s peace is worth protecting.