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What is an Advance Directive?
An advanced directive is a legal document prepared and signed by a person in
advance of a severe illness or injury, which will guide health care providers
when providing health care and treatment. It may give instructions -- i.e.,
state what treatment or care someone wants to receive or not receive if he or
she becomes unable to make medical decisions (for example, because he/she is
unconscious or in a coma). A health care directive is also used to plan in
advance for situations where a person is no longer mentally capable of making
her or his own health care decisions.
Some advance directives will identify a person (a proxy) who would be
responsible for making treatment decisions on behalf of the person if she or he
becomes mentally incapable.
There are several different types of advance directives in Canada.
Each province uses slightly different language, and very importantly, each has
different laws for making and relying on these powerful documents.
| Province |
Instruction |
Proxy |
 |
NU |
No Legislation |
 |
NWT |
 |
|
 |
YK |
|
|
 |
BC |
|
|
 |
AB |
|
|
 |
SK |
|
|
 |
MB |
|
|
 |
ON |
|
|
 |
QC |
|
|
 |
NS |
|
|
 |
NB |
No Legislation |
 |
PEI |
|
|
 |
NL |
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Resources
ONTARIO
Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
ALBERTA
 |
Personal Care Directive Produced by the Legal Resource Centre.
 | Description: Describes what a personal care directive is, answers
common questions on how to make what goes in it, how does it get reviewed,
and when does it end. |
|
MANITOBA
| Health Care
Directive. Information from Manitoba Health
| Description: Identifies the purpose of a Health Care Directive in
Manitoba; how to make a Health Care Directive; with whom should the person
talk to about these decisions; what is a proxy; who to choose as proxy; a
change of mind about the directive; and the effect of a Health Care
Directive. |
| A government form for making a health care can be found
here. However,
any any paper that is signed, dated and provides the same information may be
used.: |
| The Law governing Health Care Directives in Manitoba can be found
here |
|
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
NOVA SCOTIA
| Advance
Health Care Directives Produced by Legal Information Society of Nova
Scotia. 2006
| Description: Covers what an advance health care directive is and
who should have one; instructional and proxy directives; how specific should
they be; who usually makes decisions about health care; the proxy process;
whether the proxy and doctors must carry out an instructional directive; how
advance health care directives differ from euthanasia and assisted suicide;
updating or canceling the advance health care directive; what to do if asked
to sign a standard advance health care directive form. |
|
QUÉBEC
| Mandates
given in anticipation of incapacity Prepared by Éducaloi.
| Description: In this Infosheet, Éducaloi explains mandates given in
anticipation of incapacity: what they are, the forms they can take and the
steps to follow. |
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NEWFOUNDLAND
CANADA-NATIONAL
|
Advance care planning: the Glossary project: Final report August 22, 2006
Prepared by Janet Dunbrack For Health Canada
| Description: This report identifies the main concepts
and terms used in advance care planning in Canada, the experience of advance
care planning in Canada, and success and challenges in advance care
planning. |
|
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Advance Directives FAQ Prepared by End of Life Project.
Health Law Institute.
| Description: Answers common questions such as : How is a living
will or durable power of attorney for health care different from a
traditional will or traditional power of attorney? Can a minor write
an advance directive? What will happen if I don't have an advance
directive? As a healthcare provider, do I have to follow a patient's
advance directive? |
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INTERNATIONAL
|
Evidence on Advance Directives
| Description: This is a collation by the international group
Collaboratory on Advance Directives of available evidence about advance
directives. It is drawn from published systematic reviews of the
literature. |
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