Advance Care Planning
Planning ahead for serious illness or injury can feel difficult, but you don’t have to do it alone. Advance care planning helps you talk through your wishes so your voice is heard—and the care you receive reflects what matters most to you.
What Is Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning helps you make healthcare decisions ahead of time so your wishes are known if you’re ever unable to speak for yourself. It’s not just for people near the end of life—it’s for anyone age 18 and older.
By completing an advance directive or living will, you give yourself a voice in the care you receive. It also helps ease the burden on loved ones by giving them clear guidance about your preferences.
We’ve included resources to support conversations with your family and healthcare team. Understanding your options now can help you make decisions that reflect what quality of life means to you. And if your needs, beliefs, or wishes change, you can update your advance directive at any time.
Use these resources to get started:
Advance Directive
An advance directive is a legal document that allows adults to make their health care choices clear and name a surrogate to act for them should they become unable to speak for themselves. Advance directives address health concerns as well as decisions regarding visitation, disclosure of medical records, and other instructions specific to each individual.
How to complete an advance directive
- Start by visiting Virginia Navigator to find an advance directive form
- Print the form and fill it out based on your preferences
- Give copies to your physician and to family or friends you trust
National POLST - Portable Medical Orders
POLST forms (portable medical orders) include more details regarding treatment preferences than advance directives do. A POLST form is a medical order that a patient develops with their care team to define and specify their treatment preferences. These treatments may include resuscitation preferences, comfort and airway support measures, artificially administered nutrition, and other medical preferences. There are many benefits to completing a POLST form, one of which is to ensure that your medical preferences are honored.
POLST forms are designed for patients with terminal or chronic progressive illnesses, advanced age, and medically frail. Contact your care coordinator, physician, or practitioner to initiate this process.
National Healthcare Decisions Day
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day dedicated to educating and empowering the public to make informed choices about their healthcare. The phrase "It's always too early until it's too late" serves as a reminder to begin the important conversations that are often overlooked in America. Ellen Goodman, co-founder of The Conversation Project, emphasizes this need. To learn more, please watch Ellen Goodman's TED Talk.
Please check out the resources included within this page to learn more about completing an advance directive.
Resources
The Conversation Project Videos
- Who will speak for you? The Conversations Project gives you practical advice about how to determine your healthcare agent or medical power of attorney
- Practice Makes Perfect - The Conversation Project uses humor to explain how not to start a conversation with your loved ones about advance care planning and examples of how to start a conversation with your loved ones about advance care planning
- The Conversation Project Overview - Ellen Goodman co-founder of the Conversation Project explains the goal and mission of having advance care planning conversations.
- Quien hablara por ti? (Who will speak for you in Spanish) - The Conversations Project gives you practical advice about how to determine your healthcare agent or medical power of attorney
Carilion Clinic Healthcare Decisions Day Webinar
- “What is End of Life Planning?” (2021) - Dr. Brain Unwin, Medical Director for Carilion Clinic Home Health and Geriatrician- Explains the purpose and benefit of completing advance directives and other advance care planning documents.
- “Your Healthcare Decisions Matter” (2023) - Dr. Brain Unwin, Medical Director for Carilion Clinic Home Health and Geriatrician; Nicole Bailey- Bedsaul, LCSW Carilion Clinic Home Health; and Lisa Sprinkel- VP of Carilion Clinic Mental Health and Carilion Clinic Home Health/Hospice- Discuss the benefit of writing down your healthcare preferences.
- “Planning today for the care you want tomorrow” (2024) - Renee Altizer, Former Director Carilion Clinic Hospice and Dr. Christi Stewart, Medical Director for Carilion Clinic Hospice- Explain how planning today for the care you want in the future provides peace of mind and reduces stress.
Contact Us
If you have questions please send an email to Carilion_Advance_Care_Planning@carilionclinic.org
Resources
Documents and forms
Visit these links to download an advance directive for your state of residence and for additional information about advance directives.
Virginia Advance Directive Forms 3-Page Virgnia Advance Directive Form Virginia Durable Do Not Resuscitate (DDNR) Prepare For Your Care (English and Spanish) Caring Info - Downloading Your State's Advance Directive NIH: Talk with Your Doctor NIH - Advance Care Planning: A Conversation Guide NIH - End of life Care: Providing Comfort and Care
Helpful resources
These resources can help you navigate the advance care planning process.
Videos
In honor of National Healthcare Decisions Day, our Hospice experts have come together to present on this important topic. The webinars discuss the values, wishes and goals that emerge when facing a serious illness. Learn how to honor values and wishes--and how to translate them into a plan of care that you and your loved ones deem most essential to decision making.
In these videos, Dr. Brian Unwin, Chief, Geriatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, explains what advance care planning is and why an advance directive is important.
In the News
Contact Us
Do you have questions or need more information? Please email us using the link below.