Healthcare Planning for Australian Expats – Importance of Advanced Medical Directives

If you’re an Australian expat living abroad, planning for the unexpected is essential. This includes planning for healthcare emergencies, which can be especially challenging when living in a foreign country. Advanced Care Directives can help provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones by allowing you to make decisions about your medical care in advance.

In this article, we’ll explain what Advanced Care Directives are, why they’re important for Australian expats, how they work, and provide case studies to illustrate their value.

What are Advanced Care Directives?

Advanced Care Directives are legal documents that outline your healthcare preferences in the event that you’re unable to make decisions for yourself. There are three types of Advanced Care Directives recognized in Australia:

Enduring Power of Attorney: This allows you to appoint someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

Advance Care Directive: This document outlines your healthcare preferences, such as what kind of treatment you would or wouldn’t want, and what level of care you’d like to receive.

Statement of Choices: This is a less formal document that outlines your general healthcare preferences and can be useful in situations where you may not have access to your other Advanced Care Directives.

Why are Advanced Care Directives important for Australian expats?

Healthcare systems and policies vary from country to country. As an expat, you may find that the healthcare system in your host country is very different from what you’re used to in Australia. In addition, language barriers and cultural differences can make navigating the healthcare system even more challenging.

Without an Advanced Care Directive, you may not have any control over your medical care in the event that you become incapacitated. This can lead to unnecessary suffering, additional stress for your loved ones, and even legal disputes.

How do Advanced Care Directives work?

Creating an Advanced Care Directive is a simple process that involves three steps:

• Step 1 – Think about your healthcare preferences: What kind of treatment would you want in the event that you become incapacitated? What level of care would you like to receive? Would you want to be resuscitated if your heart stopped?
• Step 2 – Discuss your preferences with your loved ones: It’s important to talk to your loved ones about your healthcare preferences so that they can advocate for you if you’re unable to do so.
• Step 3 – Create an Advanced Care Directive: You can create an Advanced Care Directive with the help of a lawyer or using online resources. Once you’ve created an Advanced Care Directive, make sure to keep a copy with you and provide copies to your healthcare provider and loved ones.

Case studies

Here are a few examples of Australian expats who faced healthcare challenges abroad without Advanced Care Directives:

Sarah, a 35-year-old Australian expat living in Japan, was in a car accident that left her unconscious. Because she hadn’t created an Advanced Care Directive, her husband had no say in her medical care. Sarah’s parents, who lived in Australia, had to fly to Japan to make medical decisions on her behalf.

Mark, a 45-year-old Australian expat living in the United States, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Because he hadn’t created an Advanced Care Directive, he was unable to make decisions about his end-of-life care. This caused additional stress for his wife and children, who had to make difficult decisions on his behalf.

Rebecca, a 50-year-old Australian expat living in Thailand, suffered a stroke that left her unable to communicate. Because she hadn’t created an Advanced Care Directive, her healthcare providers didn’t know her healthcare preferences. This led to unnecessary suffering for Rebecca and additional stress for her family.

Conclusion

Advanced Care Directives are an important tool for Australian expats to ensure that they have control over their healthcare in the event of an emergency. As an expat, it’s essential to plan for the unexpected, especially when it comes to healthcare. By creating an Advanced Care Directive, you can ensure that your wishes are respected and that your loved ones are able to make informed decisions on your behalf.

It’s important to remember that healthcare policies and practices vary from country to country, and without an Advanced Care Directive, you may not have any control over your medical care. Advanced Care Directives allow you to make decisions in advance and ensure that your healthcare preferences are respected, regardless of where you are in the world.

Creating an Advanced Care Directive is a simple process that involves thinking about your healthcare preferences, discussing them with your loved ones, and creating the legal document with the help of a lawyer or online resources. Once you’ve created your Advanced Care Directive, make sure to keep a copy with you and provide copies to your healthcare provider and loved ones.

Finally, the case studies presented above illustrate the value of Advanced Care Directives for Australian expats. Without an Advanced Care Directive, you may find yourself in a situation where you have no control over your medical care, and your loved ones are left to make difficult decisions on your behalf. By creating an Advanced Care Directive, you can ensure that your wishes are respected and that your loved ones have the guidance they need to make informed decisions about your healthcare.

In conclusion, healthcare planning is essential for Australian expats, and Advanced Care Directives are a critical component of that planning. By taking the time to create an Advanced Care Directive, you can ensure that your healthcare preferences are respected and that your loved ones are able to make informed decisions on your behalf. Don’t wait until it’s too late – start planning for the unexpected today.

Ally Wealth Management is the trusted ally in finance for Australians at home and across the globe. As both Australian expats and residents, the founders of Ally have a unique understanding of the common personal financial challenges faced.

Book your complimentary appointment with our team at Ally Wealth Management to discuss how we can help you to achieve your financial goals.

Ally Wealth Management Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Sentry Advice Pty Ltd ABN 77 103 642 888. Sentry Advice holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) No. 227 748.

General Advice Warning: The information contained herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal advice. You should not act on any recommendation without considering your personal needs, circumstances, and objectives. We recommend you obtain professional financial advice specific to your circumstances.