Who is Advance Care Planning for?

Planning for future healthcare decisions is important for all Ontarians. But the process of ACP is a little different based on your state of health, age and mental capacity. This page contains examples of how ACP works for a variety different people and circumstances. Some of these differences are because of the laws in Ontario. If you live in another province, check the laws in your own province.

In Ontario, the law tells us:

  • Who has capacity to make healthcare decisions
  • Who is legally allowed to make healthcare decisions for someone who is not capable. This is your substitute decision-maker (SDM)
  • How your wishes will be used when your SDM has to make a decision for you in the future

You can learn more about each of these topics by clicking on the following buttons, or scroll down to look at the examples of ACP in different circumstances.

What is mental capacity?

Who can be an SDM?

How do SDMs decide?

 

 

 

 

ACP for different groups of people

Children & Teenagers

ACP for Healthy Adults

Adults Living with Chronic Illnesses

Adults Who Are Not Mentally Capable

 

 

First Nations Indigenous and Metis

Health, illness and dying are deeply personal experiences. We recognize that everyone will approach these differently. While ACP Ontario resources are intended for all Ontarians, we continue to partner with organizations to produce culturally safe and diverse resources.

An ACP poster and SDM pamphlet are available for download here:

EOLFN-ACP-Poster.pdf
EOLFN-SDM-Pamphlet.pdf


 

 

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ACP material IS available in six additional languages

Below are postcards that provide brief explanations of ACP, identifying your SDM, information for your SDM and consent and capacity. 

 

 

Simplified Chinese

English

 

 

Español (Spanish)

Français (French)

 

 

Italiano (Italian)

Punjabi

 

 

 

 

Tagalog

 

 

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