Around the country this week, district health boards were raising awareness for advanced care planning for our nation’s elderly, with a new study highlighting how few have enduring powers of attorney set up.
A new study published today in the New Zealand 
Medical Journal has found that most elderly Kiwis don’t have enduring power of attorney (EPA) with study participants citing lack of information and financial barriers as reasons for not having one.
Appointing an enduring power of attorney means that someone you trust has legal authority to make decisions on your behalf when you can no longer do so.
The topic had already been in the news as on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health released new forms to make it easier to create both property and healthcare EPAs.
Through the Conversation that Count campaign on Wednesday, many District Health Boards across the country held events to encourage people to think about, talk about and plan for end-of-life care.
Ministry of Health: New forms for creating Enduring Powers of Attorney
Stuff.co.nz: ‘Never too soon to do it’: Planning for end-of-life care is vital, say doctors
Wanganui Chronicle: Whanganui Hospital ‘conversations day’ to address health and decision-making in old age
Wairarapa Times-Age: Planning for the tough decisions
Newshub: Most elderly lack enduring power of attorney – study