End of life planning

In this section: Financial & Legal information | Conversations about the end of life | Making a will | Making an advance personal plan | Assisted dying legislation in the NT

Financial and Legal Information for Senior Territorians (click to download) – includes information on making a will, advance personal plans, protecting your personal information, legal advice, your rights at retirement and protecting yourself from elder abuse.

Conversations about the end of life

Research found that while 8 in 10 Australians think it’s important to talk about their end-of-life wishes, only one in four have actually had the conversation. 

• Dying to Talk Discussion Starters – It is never too early to start to think about things and plan ahead.

Resources / sources:

• Territory Palliative Care (TPC) – Palliative care services to the Northern Territory.
• Palliative Care Australia
  • Dying to Talk 
• Palliative Care Northern Territory
• Supportive Care Services in the NT
• PEPA Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach – Education and training for health care workers.
• Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement – Education and support for bereaved and griefing Australians.
• Advance personal plan

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Making a will

Making a will is the only way to make sure your money, property and personal belongings to the people you want to receive them. In the Northern Territory, the Public Trustee may be able to assist you with making a will (more).

Comprehensive information is available on the NTG website, nt.gov.au/law/bdm/make-a-will

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Making an advance personal plan

Also known as a living will, an advance personal plan will only take effect when you lose decision-making capacity while you are still alive. It does not replace your will (more). It is a legal document that will set out your future health, financial and life choices should you be unable to make decisions for yourself.

• Advance Personal Plan (Word file)
• Advance Personal Plan (PDF)
• Advance personal plan information is available here in the following languages: Tagalog, Italian, Hakka Chinese, Hakka Chin, Greek, Vietnamese.

Further information is available on the advance personal plan form and on the NTG website, nt.gov.au/law/rights/advance-personal-plan

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Assisted dying legislation

In the Northern Territory, the jurisdiction does not allow voluntary assisted dying

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More information about end of life planning is available to COTA NT members in the White Papers section of the Members only pages.