Advance Planning is Finally Getting Recognition

Two people contacted me recently to let me know I had a competitor in the advance planning space.

And honestly? My first reaction was delight.

I never think of advance planning as a competitive space, but instead as a critical area that requires as many organisations and individuals as possible to be advocating. When I looked into it, I realised it was the Decision Support Service - the statutory body I have been actively promoting in my workshops for years.

Here is what is happening

The Decision Support Service (run by the Mental Health Commission Ireland) has just launched a major public awareness campaign around 'advance planning'. They have a new website — advanceplanning.ie — and they are doing brilliant, important work to get Irish people thinking about what would happen if they were to lose the capacity to make decisions for themselves.

Their focus is on two specific legal tools: the Enduring Power of Attorney and the Advance Healthcare Directive. I talk about both of these in every single workshop I run. They are not optional. They are essential.

So no, they are not my competition. They are partners in a conversation that everyone in Ireland desperately needs to be having.

But here is the thing

Advance planning — the kind I do at Living Legacy — is not just about legal documents. It is not just about what happens if you lose capacity.

It is about everything else.

• It is about your values, wishes, and how you want to be cared for being known — not just your medical preferences, but who you are as a person
• It is about knowing where your important documents are before anyone has to scramble for them
• It is about your business or organisation having a plan if you step back or something happens to your key people
• It is about the legacy you want to live today, not just leave behind
• It is about the conversations that feel too hard to start, but that the people who love you will be so grateful you did

Getting all of this in order is how you create peace of mind — for yourself, and for the people who will one day step in on your behalf.

"An EPOA tells the world who can act for you. Advance planning tells the world who you are."

Without an EPOA, your next of kin has no legal right to act on your behalf, no matter how close you are. And even with one in place, the people who love you will still face grief and stress when the time comes. But now they will not be finding their way in the dark. Your wishes will be clear. Your values will be known. Their love for you will have something to hold on to.

The EPOA, the AHD, and holistic advance planning belong together. The ideal is to do the reflective work first. To get clear on your values, your wishes, and your priorities, and then to use that clarity to inform and complete the legal documents.

Why I am sharing this now

The Decision Support Service's campaign is bringing the phrase 'advance planning' into public conversation in a way that I welcome wholeheartedly. It opens a door. But I want to make sure we walk all the way through it.

Getting an EPOA and AHD in place is crucial. And it is also not the whole picture.

Over 70% of adults in Ireland do not even have a Will. Most people have never sat down to think about their wishes for care, their business continuity, or what they want their legacy to mean. That is the gap Living Legacy exists to fill — with no jargon, no pressure, and no assumption that any of this has to be done alone.

Where to start

If this has you wondering how prepared you actually are: for yourself, your family, or your organisation, the best first step is the free Advance Planning Readiness Assessment. It takes a few minutes and shows you clearly what you have in place and what still needs attention:

advanceplanning-readiness.scoreapp.com

If you have colleagues, clients, or people in your network who are navigating a health diagnosis, a retirement, a business transition, or simply a sense that they should 'get their affairs in order' - please share this with them.

And if you would like to explore getting started personally, I would love to hear from you. You can find out more at www.livinglegacy.ie or simply reply to get in touch.

Because although the best time to start maybe yesterday. The next best time is now.

 Jen

#advanceplanning #legacybuilding #epoa #endoflifeplanning #advancecareplanning #livinglegacy

Jennifer McConnell | Founder, Living Legacy

Advance Planning | Legacy Building | Succession Planning

www.livinglegacy.ie