A representation agreement is legal planning document that has you choose a person who can make health care decisions for you if you become incapable of making decisions on your own.
Tips & Links
- A representation agreement names your substitute decision-maker (SDM) who can make health decisions for you when you are unable to do so.
- Get some of your questions answered about a representation agreement by Nidus.
- Learn about a representation agreement and the forms required to make your choices and decisions legal in BC.
- Explore how your representation agreement is part of your advance care plan. Visit My Voice-An Advance Planning Guide for more information and forms.
- Your SDM should be trusted, understand your values, beliefs, and preferences, and be committed to making decisions in your best interest when you are incapable of doing so for yourself. Learn more about choosing a substitute decision-maker from Healthlink BC.
- Check out BC Centre for Palliative Care for a information on choosing and or being a substitute decision-maker.
- Be aware that if you do not have a written representation agreement, your physician asks for a temporary substitute decision-maker (TSDM) to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so. If you do not have a SDM and no family member or close relative is available, the Public Guardian & Trustee (PGT) appoints a legal substitute decision-maker for you.
- Learn about free legal counselling services for low-income seniors to create an advance care plan and representation agreement from Senior’s First BC.
- Your SDM or TSDM should all know if you have a Do Not Resuscitate or No CPR order, a written advance directive or Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST) document, are an organ donor, and/or you have a written advance care plan.
- Your Mywell Health planner has been designed to organize your end-of-life decision documents in one place – keep digital and print copies in the section My End-of-Life Decisions.
Tools – Handouts & Videos
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