You’ve Created an Advance Care Plan - Now What?
You have done the hard part - you have created your advance care plan (ACP).
That's a big step. You've taken time to reflect on your future health and personal care wishes, your values and the kind of care and treatment you want if you're unable to speak for yourself.
But you aren't quite finished.
Your advance care plan is not something you create and tuck away forever.
There are a few sites to visit to ensure your care preferences are respected and that your substitute decision maker can make decisions on your behalf.
You might also have questions like:
Where do I store this?
Do I need to update it over time?
Who else needs to know about it?
Let's walk through the answers to those questions and what to do next so that your Advance Care Plan can truly serve its purpose.
And if you've landed on this page, but haven't created an advance care plan, learn why it matters and some tips to get started here.
Inform Your Decision-Maker About Your Advance Care Plan (ACP)
In your Advance Care Plan, you’ve appointed a substitute decision-maker, someone you trust to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. That’s a big responsibility, and it’s a kindness to prepare them for it.
Sit down with them and talk through your care preferences. These decisions can involve serious and emotionally heavy topics like end-of-life care, so it’s important that they understand both your wishes and the role they’ve agreed to take on.
Walk them through your ACP in plain language. Explain your values, your wishes for future care, and what kind of care and treatment you want (or don’t want). Let them ask questions about anything they’re unsure about, whether it’s related to palliative care, specific care providers, or your goals around quality of life.
This doesn’t have to be a formal meeting, but it should be intentional. You could talk over coffee at home, while out for a walk, or even during dinner or a glass of wine.
The setting doesn’t matter. What matters is that the conversation happens and that you make space for their questions and concerns.
Make Sure Your Decision-Maker Knows Where Your Advance Care Plan Is
The most carefully thought-out plan will not help you if it's buried somewhere and no one can find it.
Be clear about where your ACP is and how your decision-maker can find it.
You might:
Give them a physical copy of your ACP to keep.
Let them know exactly where to find the original—e.g. “top drawer of the home office filing cabinet.”
Ensure they have any passwords or keys they need if it’s stored in a locked location.
Which leads to the next important topic….
Proper Document Storage
The best spot for your advance care plan has two elements: it should be secure and accessible.
What does that mean?
I have seen some families store their important documents (like an ACP, advance directive, etc.) in a safety deposit. It's secure, but it's not accessible. Imagine a family member racing to the bank during a health crisis (if your health crisis happens during your bank's operating hours). They likely won’t be allowed in, and medical teams won’t wait.
Better options include:
A home safe (just make sure someone trusted has the code or key)
A labelled folder in your filing cabinet or home office
A binder with other end-of-life planning or financial and legal documents
Your bedside table or another easy-to-find spot
Again, when you tell your loved ones about its location, be very specific. Instead of "it's in the filing cabinet", say, "It's in the second drawer of my filing cabinet in the red folder labeled "Advance Care Plan".
Advance Care Planning is a Process
Advance care planning isn’t one-and-done.
Your life changes. So should your plan.
If your ACP doesn't reflect your current relationships, health or values, it may no longer protect your wishes or support the people you’re counting on to speak for you.
Imagine your substitute decision-maker is your best friend, someone you trust deeply. But a few years after you make your plan, they move across the country or pass away. You forget to update your plan. Now, in a moment of crisis, doctors are trying to track someone down who is unreachable, or worse, can't speak on your behalf. Meanwhile, your family is unsure of what to do and is under pressure to make quick decisions.
Certainly, you want to avoid this kind of confusion and distress. So get in the habit of revisiting your ACP regularly.
My general rule is every 5 years or whenever there's a major life event.
Use the acronym LAMBS to help you remember when it’s time for a refresh:
Losses / Liabilities (death of a loved one, new responsibilities)
Acquisitions (new home, major assets)
Move / Marriage / Divorce
Birth / Death in the family
Separation / Sickness (especially serious illness or changing health needs)
If any of these apply, it's time to give your ACP a fresh look.
Take Charge of Your End of Life and Health Care Decisions
You’ve already done something many people put off: creating an advance care plan. That alone brings peace of mind, not just for you, but for the people who care about you.
Now that your plan is in place, finish the process:
Talk to your substitute decision-maker
Ensure the document is stored safely and accessibly
Review it when life changes
And if you have any questions or just need a sounding board, we are always here to help.
