What is Advance Care Planning?

Why is an Advance Care Directive Important?

Every day, in hospitals across the country, families are struggling over whether to begin or continue life support treatment for a loved one. If your wishes were documented and clear to all, families would feel more comfortable with difficult decisions and be free to tend to their loved ones in more fulfilling ways.

Having an up-to-date Advance Care Directive – a written document – is one of the best ways to ensure that your wishes will be honored.

• “Where do I wish to die?”

• “Who do I want to be with?”

• “Under what circumstances do I wish to have life support, to be resuscitated?”

• “Who do I want to express my wishes for me if I am not able?”

These are the questions the Advance Care Directive team wants everyone to answer through conversations with loved ones. Everyone involved must understand what is important to you, particularly if you cannot speak for yourself.

Having a current Advance Care Directive is not only for those near the end of their lives. It is recommended that anyone over the age of 18 have one. Advance Care Directives should also be regularly updated, as situations, beliefs and wishes change over time.

Completing your Advance Care Directive is also a gift to your loved ones. It will create comfort for them, as they will understand clearly what your wishes are if you cannot tell them at a critical time.  

Why Should I Care Now?

What does Get It Done SB wish to accomplish?

We seek to have everyone in the community, at any age  (18 and over) or stage of their lives, complete the MyCare Advance Care Directive document.

What services does Get It Done SB provide to the community?

Get It Done SB conducts and supports a variety of programs and events that help people connect with friends and loved ones in conversations about the balance between life and death, and how to express wishes about unexpected medical emergency care AND walks people through the process of filling out the MyCare document.

We do this by:

• Providing free workshops and trainings throughout South Santa Barbara County to help people fill out and finalize their MyCare or other Advance Directive Forms

• Creating and leveraging family/friends events in conjunction with area faith-based organizations and retirement communities to help members and residents have conversations about their medical care wishes and Advance Care Directives

• Working with our community partners

• Co-sponsoring a variety of conferences and community educational events related to our mission. See the Events page for upcoming special events that are open to the public.

What's the difference between MyCare, Five Wishes and other forms of Advance Care Planning Directives?

Although there are many other legal versions of Advance Healthcare Directives, South Santa Barbara County has joined forces to develop a document specific to the needs of our community. Overseen by Cottage Hospital, a group of community leaders provided input and feedback to develop the MyCare document. 

Get it Done SB utilizes the MyCare document in all of its workshops and trainings, however the team is well versed in the different available formats and will be able to assist with any version. Please note that although the MyCare is the preferred  document in SBC, all other forms/versions are still valid and will be accepted by all medical providers. This includes any past submissions. 

What is a Physicians Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST)?

Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a medical order form on bright pink paper that indicates what types of life-sustaining treatment a seriously ill patient wants or doesn't want if his or her condition worsens. As patients move from the outpatient setting to hospitals or nursing homes, POLST forms ensure continuity of care and adherence to the patient's wishes and reduce the possibility of medical errors.

POLSTs also require a conversation between the patient, their families and their loved ones. The POLST form, signed by both the physician and the patient, becomes a tool to capture these discussions and make them part of the patient's medical record. The form moves with the patient, and California requires POLST be honored across all settings of care and provides immunity to providers who honor a POLST document in good faith.

What's the difference between an Advance Care Directive and a POLST?

The POLST form is always recommended for people with chronic medical conditions that have a potential to land a person in the emergency room.  EMTs who enter the home in an emergency will look for the bright pink forms in the residence, and ER personnel will seek to know if the patient has a POLST.  The POLST is considered a physician’s order and must be signed by a Physician, Nurse Practitioner or a Physician’s Assistant, along with their license number. In contrast, the Advance Health Care Directive is recommended for everyone over age 18, even healthy people, to document their wishes for medical care. The Advance Directive need not be signed by a doctor, but must either be signed by two witnesses or notarized by a Notary Public.