Advance Care Planning Week 2026: Your story, your choice

Every resident has a story – and Advance Care Planning (ACP) helps make sure that story continues to guide their care, even in a crisis.

This year’s Advance Care Planning Week (16-22 March 2026) theme – ‘Your story, your choice’ – reminds us why ACP matters so much in residential aged care.

To help conversations with residents and families, Advance Care Planning Australia have a series of videos of conversations with real people, highlighting the power of having wishes known, well before a crisis occurs.

Strong ACPs can:

• reduce distress for residents, families and staff
• prevent last-minute, high-pressure decision-making
• support clearer after-hours and emergency responses
• reduce conflict when health deteriorates
• ensure care reflects the person, not just the condition.

Put simply, good ACP makes hard moments easier for everyone.

Don’t forget, if your service is registered with My Health Record, uploading ACP documents can make a real difference in emergencies by ensuring treating teams can quickly access a resident’s wishes.

During Advance Care Planning Week, why not choose just ONE of these:

1. Review one resident file: Is the ACP current, clear, and easy to find?
2. Ask one resident (or family): “Have your wishes changed?”
3. Check your systems: Do staff know where ACP documents are stored after hours?

Small actions now can prevent big stress later.

• Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA): Starter kit, conversation starters, short videos, and education.
• ELDAC: Practical tools and guidance for ACP and end‑of‑life care in aged care.
• End of Life Law for Aged Care: Clear guidance and a free course on roles, responsibilities, and consent in aged care.
• Healthy North Coast Building Nurse Capacity (free ACP online modules): A great place to start, with links to further national resources.