Helping Loved Ones Make Medical Choices With Clarity and Confidence

As dementia progresses, decision-making becomes more complex—not only for the individual but also for their carers, medical professionals, and loved ones.

When the person can no longer communicate their wishes clearly, families are often left asking: What would they have wanted?

Creating a decision-making framework for future medical treatments ensures these questions are already answered—with compassion, dignity, and clarity. It gives families confidence and offers individuals the power to guide their own care, even when they can no longer speak for themselves.

Platforms like Evaheld make this process easier by allowing families to record, update, and share treatment preferences through secure storage in the Evaheld Legacy Vault.

Why Medical Decision-Making Frameworks Matter

Without advance medical planning, families may experience:

• Conflict during emergencies
• Delays in urgent care
• Over-treatment or under-treatment
• Guilt or uncertainty about choices made on someone else’s behalf

According to Advance Care Planning Australia, preparing a values-based decision-making framework can dramatically improve end-of-life care outcomes and emotional wellbeing for families.

What to Include in a Medical Decision-Making Framework

1. Health Values and Beliefs

The person’s:

• Understanding of quality of life
• Views on pain and suffering
• Religious or cultural care preferences
• Personal definition of dignity

Use Family Legacy Series prompts to help document values and beliefs that influence treatment choices.

These insights can be uploaded to the Evaheld Legacy Vault and shared with trusted carers and family members.

2. Specific Treatment Preferences

Document:

• Preferences regarding CPR, ventilation, feeding tubes, dialysis
• Hospital vs home-based care
• Preferred palliative and pain management options
• Comfort measures in end-of-life situations

These directives should also be reflected in a formal Advance Health Directive, which can be linked directly to your Evaheld account.

3. Preferred Medical Contacts

Record:

• GP, specialists, and allied health contacts
• Emergency instructions
• Carers or family members to consult first
• Any health professionals the individual wishes to avoid (if applicable)

Store all contact information and documentation together in Evaheld for easy access in emergencies.

4. Nominated Decision-Maker

Appoint an enduring guardian or medical power of attorney:

• Someone the person trusts
• Who understands their beliefs and values
• Who will uphold their wishes—not their own

Dementia Support Australia encourages early conversations to prepare both the individual and their nominated decision-maker.

Creating and Using the Framework: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Start the Conversation Early

Begin while the individual can still clearly express their views. Use memory prompts, storytelling, and legacy discussions to guide the conversation with sensitivity.

Step 2: Write It Down

Use plain language. Add examples like:

“I would want to stay home if I could no longer recognise my family”

“I would not want life-prolonging treatment if I had no awareness”

The Evaheld blog includes examples of phrasing and story-based approaches that bring medical decisions to life.

Step 3: Store It Securely and Share Access

Upload the framework, signed directives, and contact lists to Evaheld. Only those with permission will have access through the Evaheld Legacy Vault.

Also provide printed summaries to:

• GPs and specialists
• Carers or care facilities
• Family members and enduring guardians

Step 4: Review Regularly

Update the framework:

• After hospitalisations
• Following new diagnoses
• When the person’s values or support network changes
• Every 6–12 months as part of ongoing advance care planning

Supporting Carers and the Sandwich Generation

Adults supporting both elderly parents and their own children often face tough medical decisions without guidance. A clear decision-making framework:

• Removes guesswork and emotional burden
• Reduces family conflict
• Provides a path forward when situations become unclear

The Online Will Blog outlines how integrating medical and legacy planning improves long-term family unity and reduces future stress.

Respecting Emotional and Spiritual Preferences

Medical decisions aren't just clinical—they are deeply personal. A good framework includes:

• Spiritual beliefs about illness and death
• Rituals or practices important in times of crisis
• Preferences for music, space, or presence during treatment

Nurse Info recommends including these emotional elements to support whole-person care.

Final Thoughts

The most powerful care is guided by love, clarity, and preparation. A well-documented decision-making framework doesn’t just protect medical wishes—it preserves the voice of the individual long after their words may fade.

With the right tools, thoughtful conversations, and secure documentation, your loved one’s legacy of care will be respected, honoured, and upheld.