Getting Started Tool Kit
Make your own health care plan. It's as easy as 1-2-3!
The tool kit has a free MA Health Care Proxy and Personal Directive.
Who's Your Agent?
Choose a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy.
What Matters to Me?
Write down your instructions for care in a Personal Directive.
Talk About Your Care.
Talk with your care providers to match care to your choices.
This do-it-yourself tool kit provides easy step by step instructions to start to make your personal health care plan. You can do one step at a time or complete all three steps. The tool kit includes helpful information, a Massachusetts Health Care Proxy and Personal Directive, and handy discussion guides to talk with your family and care providers about your care choices. The Health Care Proxy Instructions & Document is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Khmer, Albanian, and Arabic. Download here.
Short Videos to Steps 1-2-3.
WATCH these short videos to help you with each step to make your own plan.
• A good place to start is with the Overview.
• Then go to Step 1 and follow the video series, or start with any video that's right for you.
• Download & print the tool kit. Fill out the documents and put your plan into action!
Overview
Here's a quick road map for making your own plan!
(Time: 2:41)
Step 1. Choose a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy.
There are two videos in Step 1:
- Part A: How to Choose a Heath Care Agent. Learn who you can choose, what an Agent does, and when your Agent steps-in to get you care. (Time: 7:38)
- Part B: How to Fill Out Your Health Care Proxy. Once you choose your Agent, give your Agent the legal power to make health care decisions in a MA Health Care Proxy. (Time: 8:33)
No Agent? No Problem!
Not sure who to choose as your Agent? Sometimes it's hard to do. It's no problem- you can start to make your plan with a Personal Directive (Living Will). Listen to this video- then go right to Step 2. (Time: 1:32)
Step 2. Talk with family about your care choices. Write down your choices in a Personal Directive.
- How to Fill Out Your Personal Directive (Living Will). Learn how to start a planning discussion with your family, friends or anyone important to you. Fill our your Personal Directive to give others information and instructions about your care. (Time: 8:18)
Step 3. Talk with your care providers to match care to your choices.
- Learn how to start a planning discussion to match the best possible care to your care goals, values & choices. The 5 Things to Talk About with Your Care Providers handy discussion guide, and put your plan into action! (Time: 5:58)