We encourage you to have a discussion with your loved ones about your goals and values for future health care needs.

An advance care plan provides information to others about your wishes in case illness or injury prevents you from telling them yourself.

Advance care planning is designed to help anyone, healthy or sick, communicate their wishes for medical treatment. This planning process will clarify what your family and friends need to know if you become unable to make health care decisions for yourself.

When you put these wishes in writing, this kind of plan is called an advance directive or health care directive.

Advance care planning is a process of:

• Understanding your health care treatment options
• Clarifying your health care goals
• Weighing your options about what kind of care and treatment you would want or not want
• Making decisions about whether you want to appoint a health care agent or complete a health care directive
• Communicating your wishes and any documents with your family, friends and health care provider

Free seminar

Advance care planning: Make your health care wishes known

Make sure your family knows your goals and values for future health care needs in case illness or injury prevents you from telling them yourself. Learn more at a free group session.

Call 612-262-9707 to register for the session that's most convenient.

Printer-friendly list of advance care planning sessions

Documentary

End-of-life planning: Family stories

Allina has been involved with the Honoring Choices project since 2008. The program focuses on the importance of advance care planning and end-of-life issues including medical, legal and spiritual considerations.

You can watch "Honoring Choices at the End of Life," the one-hour documentary at honoringchoices.org.

End-of-life planning: Conversations

This second installment in the Honoring Choices documentary discusses starting conversations about health care choices that are difficult but critical to communicate to family members. Watch the 30-minute documentary.

Advance care planning news

Honoring Choices is about end-of-life planning

Sandy Schellinger, CNP, program development manager, discusses Allina Hospitals & Clinics involvment with Honoring Choices, a three year program to get Minnesotans talking about planning so families are prepared when dealing with end-of-life issues. Watch the interview on allinanews.com.

Allina program helps patients discuss end-of-life planning

In the last three years, the number of Allina patients with advanced care directives has more than doubled. Sandy Schellinger, program development manager, discussed the importance of communicating your medical wishes with Minnesota Public Radio. Listen to the interview on allinanews.com.

National Healthcare Decisions Day

April 16, National Healthcare Decisions Day, is when all people, regardless of age or current health, are reminded of the importance of making their health care wishes known to loved ones and their care providers.

On Fox 9's Morning News, Eric Anderson, MD, Allina palliative care medical director, answered questions about advance care planning and health care directives.