Understanding Advanced Care Planning: What It Is… and What It Isn’t

Advanced Care Planning Is

• Thinking ahead about medical decisions and treatment preferences in case you’re unable to communicate them. 

• Documenting your wishes through advance directives, living wills, and healthcare proxies. 

• Considering your values, priorities, and quality of life in decisions about care. 
• Coordinating with loved ones and care teams to ensure your wishes are understood and respected. 
  
  

Advanced Care Planning Is Not 

• Estate planning, although it often complements it (wills, trusts, and financial directives are separate legal steps). 

• After-life planning (funeral arrangements, memorials, or legacy decisions). 

• A one-time task.  You can revisit and update your preferences as life changes. 
• A substitute for speaking with your healthcare provider, attorney, or care planning expert. 
  
  

How Technology Can Support Planning 

While Advanced Care Planning is best done with professionals, tech tools can help keep your plans organized and accessible once created, especially when you know what you are doing: 

• Profiles and document management keep advanced directives and legal paperwork in one secure place. 

• Shared calendars or collaboration tools allow family and care teams to stay informed about important appointments and care decisions. 

• Resources and educational content provide context and guidance while preparing for conversations with professionals. 

(These tools don’t replace professional guidance—they help you implement and share your plan once it exists.) 

Why This Matters 

Families often feel uncertain about when, how, or what to plan. Clear understanding reduces stress, avoids miscommunication, and ensures that decisions reflect your wishes, values, and priorities. 

Even if you’re unsure where to start, a care planning expert can guide you, help coordinate medical, estate, and after-life planning, and ensure your plan is actionable and understood by everyone who needs it.