Advance Care Directive Peer-led Workshop
Do you have an Advance Care Directive ?
An ACD empowers you to make clear legal arrangements for your future health care, end of life, preferred living arrangements and other personal matters.
Be part of the project's free information sessions to gain the resources you need and be assisted to understand how to complete this important legal document. Please note these are small group workshops so numbers are limited and bookings are essential.
All resources are provided free along with light refreshments.
*Please note these workshops will not have a Justice of the Peace in attendance and completed ACD's cannot be brought to the workshops for witnessing.
If you have a query about an ACD form you have already filled in, please contact the Project Officer for further guidance or to book for witnessing sessions in the future.
Please click on the picture above to view this short video which provides a brief introduction to the Advance Care Directive (ACD) and some reasons to consider completing one.
Justice of the Peace
An Advance Care Directive is not legally binding until it is signed and witnessed. This project is proud to support the role of a Justice of the Peace in witnessing an ACD and certifying copies by collaborating with the Royal Association of Justices of SA to make up to date training accessible to the Southern Councils.
Next available workshops
Friday 22 September 2023
Aberfoyle Park Community Centre
12.30-2.30pm
Friday 10 November 2023
Aldinga Library
10am-12noon
Tuesday 27 February 2024
Elizabeth House Positive Ageing Centre
10am-12.30pm
Friday 17 May 2024
Aldinga Library
10am-12noon
If these dates and locations are unsuitable please contact us directly to discuss how we can assist
Book here
Opportunities to be more involved
Have you completed your own ACD? Do you enjoy talking to people about their lives, are you passionate about older people’s rights and want to join a new project?
Then the role of Advance Care Directive Volunteer may interest you. In this role you would attend our community ACD workshops alongside Council Staff to share project resources, assist community members learn more about ACD and increase their confidence to complete their own ACD.
This role is part of the ACD Peer-led Workshop Project, so there is dedicated support and training about ACD provided for you. There is also the opportunity to provide feedback contributing to the ongoing delivery and improvement of this innovative project.
Location
The position will be based at various workshop locations within the City of Onkaparinga.
Key activities
- Support staff to deliver and evaluate ACD workshops
- Build rapport with workshop attendees and share project resources
- Facilitate workshop activities in a confidential and supportive manner
- Communicate any difficulties and issues to the appropriate Volunteer Coordinator
- Support project feedback and evaluation
Essential skills, knowledge and personal qualities
- Good communication and inter-personal skills
- Ability to build rapport with community members
- Non-judgemental approach supporting others to reflect on their values and wishes
- Strong organisation and attention to detail
- Ability to be reliable, flexible and adaptable
If you are interested in this volunteer role contact Judith Lowe, Active Ageing Project Officer on
8384 0161 or email Judith.Lowe@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au or consider attending a workshop to find out more.
More detail about Advance Care Directives
An Advance Care Directive (ACD) empowers you to make clear legal arrangements for your future health care, end of life, preferred living arrangements and other personal matters. It also allows individuals to appoint one or more Substitute Decision Makers to make these decisions on their behalf should they be unable to do so in the future.
However, many individuals do not have an up to date or fully completed ACD. This project aims to understand the current barriers and create a new peer-led option for older adults to be supported to complete an ACD. Forms are available online through https://advancecaredirectives.sa.gov.au
Project Background
The Advance Care Directive Peer-led Workshop Project will develop, deliver and coordinate a peer-led and sustainable training model, that can be adapted and implemented in other local government areas. This model includes peer-led workshops that aim to increase community understanding and completion of Advance Care Directives.
Project Updates
The project started with a community survey. From the responses we identified that many individuals remain unaware of ACD or have placed it low on their priorities. The main barriers to completion were indentified as lack of awareness about ACD, lack of knowledge about how to complete the form and lack of access to the forms and resources. The preferred solutions were stated as free Councils resources, dedicated face to face events and the support of a knowledgeable individual to assist complete the form.
Guided by our Steering Group of experts, an easy to understand presentation has been developed with visual cards and verbal prompts to assist anyone to begin their ACD. The workshop was then piloted at two co-design community events in Onkaparinga with 18 local community members aged 60 and above who helped to refine the process and paper resources. Attendees were offered post-workshop support and dedicated access to a Justice of the Peace to witness their forms, which enabled many to complete their ACD within just four weeks. Community workshops will be running across our Southern Council partners throughout 2023.
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This project is being run across the Southern Councils of Onkaparinga, Marion, Mitcham and Holdfast Bay and is supported by Office for Ageing Well and Health Services Programs, SA Health.
