An enduring guardianship document allows you to appoint a person to make important personal decisions on your behalf if you lose the ability to make decisions. You can also capture important information about your wishes and things you want to be taken into consideration if or when certain decisions need to be made.
An advance care directive (ACD) is a written document that contains your wishes and directions, so health practitioners understand what is important to you, and what medical treatments you do not want. A health practitioner is a doctor or any other person authorised to provide you with treatment or care. This document does not appoint someone to make decisions for you.
An ACD only comes into effect if you lose the ability (either permanently or temporarily) to make these decisions yourself.
In Tasmania, an ACD is legally binding. The law in Tasmania that governs ACDs is the Guardianship and Administration Act 1995.
For more information on advanced care planning for healthy dying, please refer to the Department of Health website.
https://www.health.tas.gov.au/publications/advance-care-directive-form