Time is precious and even more so when living with a terminal illness and uncertain future. This is the time to think about what is important in life and to plan to keep these important things as part of your life even if you become unwell.

Travel

If you would like to travel, talk to your doctor about your travel plans. In most instances your doctor will need to provide written information about your illness and treatment for you to take with you when travelling. More information Links refer to Travel.

Putting your affairs in order

When you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, reviewing existing plans and putting further plans into place is a way to ensure that what you want can actually happen.

Things you might like to consider in getting your affairs in order:

• Advance care planning and treatment choices
• Financial affairs
• Planning a funeral

Leaflets are available on each of the above topics and can be downloaded from our resource library.

More information on Centrelink Entitlements, Health Privacy, Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, Superannuation, Insurance, and Wills can be found under our website links - refer to Legal & Financial.

Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning involves having conversations with family members and health care professionals about your future health and personal care. It is important that they know what is important to you – your values, beliefs, wishes and preferences – so that they can guide decision-making about your future health and personal care if you are no longer able to make or communicate your decisions and references.

Health professionals involved in your care can help you to gain an understanding of the likely course of your illness, the treatment and care options, including palliative care, so that you can consider your preferred care goals and outcomes.  They can also explain that you have a right to refuse medical treatment that you do not want, as provided for in the Victorian Medical Treatment Act, 1988.

You may also wish to consider appointing a trusted person to make decisions about your health care on your behalf if in future you are no longer able to do so. This involves the appointment of a Medical Enduring Power of Attorney.

Some health care providers have advance care planning programs available to assist you to make known your advance care wishes. For further information, check out the links to other websites and search our resources for ‘advance care planning’.