Moving into an aged care home is a significant life transition. Having the right documentation organised beforehand is important for both practical and legal reasons, as it helps facilitate the admission process, ensures your rights and wishes are respected and provides peace of mind for you and your family. This fact sheet outlines the five essential documents you should prepare in advance.

⬜ Advance Health Care Directive
⬜ Funeral Plan or Preference Form
⬜ Will or Estate Plan
⬜ Enduring Power of Attorney (Finance)
⬜ Enduring Power of Guardianship (Clinical)

Advance Health Care Directive / Living Will
An Advance Care Directive (living will) is an important document that state your healthcare preferences, values, and treatment choices (or refusals) and ensures that these are respected if you become unable to communicate due to illness or injury. They guide doctors and family, reduce the decision-making burden on loved ones during crises, and provide peace of mind. It is recommended that you complete an Advance Care Directive while you are healthy and discuss it with your loved ones and GP if appropriate. The NSW Advance Care Directive form will be provided to you as part of your pre-admission paperwork to a Moran Home. If you are unsure or need assistance our clinical team will assist you with this document during the first 48 hours of admission.

It is recommended to create these documents while healthy and to discuss them with your GP and loved ones.

Funeral Responsibilities in Aged Care
Advising us of the nominated funeral director ensures that a residents’ final wishes are respected, reduces the burden on family, and allows for a swift, dignified process during a difficult time.

Aged-care providers cannot appoint a funeral home on behalf of a resident. They must:
Wait for family instruction or executor approval.
Arrange transfer to the funeral home directly with nominated funeral director.
Respect religious or cultural requirements noted in a resident’s file.

You will be asked to register your preferred independent funeral director as part of your admission to a Moran Home.

Will or Estate Plan
Having a will and estate plan in place upon admission to aged care is critical to protect your assets, ensure your medical wishes are followed, and relieve your family of the burden of making complex decisions during a crisis. As the move to residential care is often prompted by a sudden health event, having these documents updated ensures that your financial and personal affairs are managed according to your wishes.

Advance Care Directive, Enduring Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Guardianship
These documents all form part of your estate plan.

On admission to a Moran Home, you will be asked to provide or complete an Advance Care Directive and provide certified copies of your Enduring Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Guardianship.

Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) – Protects Assets and Manages Finances.  With high rates of dementia in aged care, it is vital to have an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) in place to delegate financial and legal decisions before you lose the capacity to do so.  A properly appointed legal professional can monitor your finances and protect you from potential financial abuse or scams.

Enduring Power of Guardianship (EPOG) – Makes decisions about your clinical care and lifestyle if you are unable to.

Moran Health Care Group recommends that you seek professional advice for all legal and financial matters prior to permanent admission to a Moran Home.