Other personal planning documents
Although B.C. doesn’t use “living wills,” advance directives and substitute decision-making agreements like representation agreements can serve a similar purpose. In a medical crisis, these documents will allow the person of your choice to make important health care decisions for you, if you’re not able to make those decisions yourself.
If you don’t have a representation agreement or advance directive for health care decisions, the law may allow family members or the Public Guardian and Trustee to make decisions on your behalf.
We offer personal planning services where personal planning documents such as representation agreements and advance directives are discussed, often in conjunction with the preparation of a client’s will.
In British Columbia, a representation agreement is an important document which specifies who has the right to make decisions in relation to healthcare on your behalf.
This personal planning document includes refusal of life support and healthcare decisions that are important to the individual. The agreement is valuable for individuals with no partner or children, or if their children are in conflict with one another about a decision involving the individual’s health. We will work together with families to define a representative they see fit to act on behalf of the individual.
A representation agreement can include decisions involving but not limited to:
- Routine finances
- Health and personal care
- Refusal or consent to life-support treatment and care
- Consent to medical procedures
- Living arrangements
Our clients often come to our office looking for a “living will”. It is important to note that we do not have such a document in British Columbia. The document that is most similar to a living will is known as an advance directive. An advance directive differs from a representation agreement in that it lists your healthcare wishes and does not appoint a representative to act for you. We consult with our clients about this and can assist with the preparation of advance directives.
