Advance Care Planning

Over 80 percent of Californians agreed that it is important to have their wishes in writing, yet only 23 percent have done so, according to a recent poll conducted by the California Health Care Foundation.

Advance Care Planning is essential for everyone as it allows your healthcare wishes to be honored when one may no longer be able to verbalize their desires. These are your decisions to make based on your personal values, preferences, and discussions with your loved ones.

Advance Care Planning includes:

  • Getting information on the types of life-sustaining treatments available.
  • Making educated decisions on what types of treatment you would or would not want should you be diagnosed with a serious/chronic or life-limiting illness.
  •  Sharing your personal values with your family and friends.
  • Completing Advanced Directives such as POLST, Power of Attorney, etc.

The resources below can help list one’s options and provide tolls for putting one’s wishes in writing. For inquiries, please call (209) 578-6300.

Advance Healthcare Directive

Community Care Choices urges community members to discuss their healthcare wishes with loved ones and fill out an Advance Healthcare Directive while in good health, so that decisions are not made in haste or under stress.

Download a flyer on frequently asked questions related to the Advance Healthcare Directive and the form below.

Advance Healthcare Directives FAQs – English
Advance Healthcare Directives FAQs – Spanish
Advance Healthcare Directives Form – English

POLST – Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment

POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) is a form that states what kind of medical treatment patients want toward the end of their lives. Printed on bright pink paper, and signed by both the doctor and patient, POLST helps give seriously ill patients more control over their end-of-life care. Visit Coalition for Compassionate Care of California’s website for more information.

Download the California POLST form below.

California POLST Form – English
California POLST Form – Spanish