Adelaide & South Australia
Advance care planning in Adelaide, with a local registered nurse beside your family.
Care & Legacy Advisors is based in Adelaide. We guide families through the conversation about future health care wishes and finish with the South Australian Advance Care Directive completed and ready to be witnessed. Meet in person in Adelaide, or join by telehealth from anywhere in South Australia.
Registered nurse, 20 years in aged care leadership
In person in Adelaide or by telehealth
One 90-minute session, $595
The South Australian form
The Advance Care Directive in South Australia
In South Australia, advance care planning usually leads to one document: the Advance Care Directive, made under the Advance Care Directives Act 2013 (SA). It lets you write down what matters to you, the medical treatment decisions you would accept or refuse, where you would like to live and be cared for, and who you appoint to decide for you if you cannot.
From 1 July 2014, this single form replaced three older documents: the Medical Power of Attorney, the Enduring Power of Guardianship and the Anticipatory Direction. Many Adelaide families still have one of these in a drawer. If that is you, it is worth checking with an official source or a solicitor how it applies today, and whether a new directive would make your wishes clearer.
An Advance Care Directive does not cover money. Financial decisions are usually handled by a separate Enduring Power of Attorney. And if someone loses capacity without a directive, medical treatment decisions in South Australia generally fall to a person responsible under the Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act 1995 (SA). Sometimes an application to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) is needed for a guardian to be appointed. Our article on what happens if you lose capacity explains this in more detail.
For the national picture, including how other states and territories handle their own forms, see our main advance care planning page.
"Talking about future healthcare decisions was something our family had avoided for years. Every conversation seemed to end in disagreement or uncertainty."
— Margaret L., Adelaide
An advance care planning consultant in Adelaide
Why families choose a local facilitator
01
We know the South Australian form.
Its sections, its language and the questions people get stuck on. We explain each part plainly as we go.
02
We know how care works in practice.
Jane Rooke spent 20 years in aged care senior management, so she can describe what a treatment decision really looks like.
03
We keep the person at the centre.
A neutral facilitator lets everyone be heard, while the person whose wishes they are stays in charge of their own decisions.
Making it count
From conversation to a directive people can find
A directive only helps if it is valid, understood and available when it is needed. These are the steps we walk through with every South Australian family. It is also worth reviewing your directive every few years, or sooner after a change in health, a move into aged care or a change in who you would trust to speak for you.
Choosing substitute decision-makers
Who you appoint matters as much as what you write. We talk through who is willing, who is available and who will honour your wishes even when it is hard.
Witnessing
The SA form must be witnessed by a suitable, authorised witness. We explain what that generally involves and point you to the official guidance so you can confirm the details.
Giving copies to the right people
Your GP, your hospital, your aged care provider and your substitute decision-makers should all have a copy, so nobody is guessing in an emergency.
Storing and registering
Keep the original somewhere safe and known. You may also be able to upload a copy to your digital health record. We help you decide what suits your family.
In person and by telehealth
Advance care planning across Adelaide and South Australia
- —In person in Adelaide. Sessions are available for families across Adelaide's metropolitan area and suburbs, for those who would rather sit around the same table.
- —Telehealth across regional South Australia. Families in country SA receive the same guided session by video, without the drive to the city.
- —Family interstate. Adult children in other states join by video, so everyone hears the same conversation at the same time.
- —Australia-wide. Telehealth consultations are available nationally, using whichever state or territory form applies to you.
Not sure how to raise the subject? Start with how to start an advance care planning conversation, or read about the difference between a will and an advance care directive. Many families also pair this work with estate readiness. Care & Legacy Advisors are happy to go through the process alongside you.
Two ways to begin
Start on your own, or book a guided session
The workbook is a self-guided companion to the official South Australian form. The consultation is the full facilitated conversation, in Adelaide or by telehealth. Some families begin with the workbook and book a session once they know where the harder questions lie.
Advance Care Planning Workbook
Question by question through your values, your treatment preferences and who you would appoint, so you can transfer your answers to the form with confidence.
$30
Download the Advance Care Planning WorkbookAdvance Care Planning Consultation
A 90-minute guided family session with a registered nurse, ending with your Advance Care Directive completed and ready to be witnessed.
$595
Book an Advance Care Planning ConsultationWe do not provide legal advice and we do not complete legal documents on your behalf.
Questions
Advance care planning in Adelaide, answered plainly
What is an Advance Care Directive in South Australia?
It is the legal document made under the Advance Care Directives Act 2013 (SA) that records your values, your wishes about future health care and the substitute decision-makers you appoint. It applies if a time comes when you cannot make or communicate your own decisions.
What did the SA Advance Care Directive replace?
From 1 July 2014, the Advance Care Directive form replaced the Medical Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Guardianship and Anticipatory Direction in South Australia. If you have one of the older documents, it is worth checking with an official source or a solicitor how it applies to you now.
Who can witness an Advance Care Directive in SA?
The form must be witnessed by a suitable, authorised witness, and there are rules about who can and cannot act as one. Check the current official guidance before signing. At the end of our session your form is completed and ready to be witnessed.
Does an Advance Care Directive cover financial decisions?
No. An Advance Care Directive covers health care, living arrangements and personal matters, not money. Financial decisions are usually covered by a separate document, an Enduring Power of Attorney, which you may wish to discuss with a solicitor.
What happens if there is no Advance Care Directive?
In South Australia, medical treatment decisions usually fall to a person responsible under the Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act 1995 (SA). In some situations an application to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) may be needed for a guardian to be appointed.
Can we meet in person in Adelaide?
Yes. In-person sessions are available in Adelaide, and telehealth sessions are available across South Australia and nationally. Many families combine the two, with relatives interstate or in regional SA joining by video.
How much does an advance care planning consultation cost?
The guided 90-minute session is $595, agreed in writing before we begin. If you would rather start on your own, the self-guided Advance Care Planning Workbook is $30.
General information only, current at the time of writing. It is not legal, financial or medical advice and does not take your circumstances into account. Requirements differ between states and territories — please confirm the current position for your jurisdiction, and speak with a solicitor about legal questions.
Related guides
Advance care planning
How To Start An Advance Care Planning Conversation
Starting an advance care planning conversation can feel daunting. These practical tips and conversation starters can help you talk about future health care wishes with warmth.
Read the guide →
Advance care planning
What Happens If You Lose Capacity?
A loss of capacity can happen suddenly. Here is what it means for your health care, your finances and your family, and how planning ahead keeps your voice heard.
Read the guide →
Advance care planning
The Difference Between a Will and an Advance Care Directive
A will and an Advance Care Directive do very different jobs. Learn what each covers, when each one applies, and why having both gives your family real clarity.
Read the guide →
Your wishes, known and written down. While you can still say them yourself.
Care & Legacy Advisors are happy to go through the process alongside you. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, with telehealth consultations available nationally.
Or email janerooke@careandlegacy.com.au