Example Advance Decision

Make a Living Will

You can make a Living Will in case you get dementia in the future. You can also do this if you are living with dementia, but are still able to make decisions for yourself. A Living Will can consist of both an Advance Decision and Advance Statement. Because you decide what is written in these documents, you can make sure they fit with your personal beliefs and wishes.

Create an Advance Statement of your preferences and wishes

An Advance Statement is not legally binding, but will give information to those who are caring for you about who you are. Through it, you can share your preferences, wishes, beliefs and values for a time when you are not able to share them yourself. It will also put into context decisions made in your Advance Decision, if you have one.

Create an Advance Decision to refuse treatment

An Advance Decision is a legally binding document through which you can say exactly what treatment you want to refuse. It is a good idea to try to include as many future circumstances as you can in your Advance Decision, because a valid Advance Decision must:

• State precisely what treatments are to be refused. A statement giving a general desire not to be treated is not enough.
• Set out the specific circumstances in which refusals should apply. It is therefore helpful to include as much detail as possible.

Talk to you doctor, family and carers

You should always talk to your GP about your Advance Decision. They will be able to help you plan it and answer any questions you might have.

If you are living with dementia in the early stages, you should consult a healthcare professional who is trained in assessing mental capacity. This could be your GP or a healthcare professional from either the memory clinic or associated with the clinic. You should also talk to members of your family or people who help look after you, and let them know about your Advance Decision.