For some people, the idea of advance care planning brings up an unexpected fear: “What if this pulls me back into relationships that I’ve worked hard to step away from?”

We hear this concern especially from people who are estranged from a parent, adult child, sibling, or other family member. Estrangement is becoming more common, and it can be the result of long‑standing conflict, abuse, betrayal, or fundamental differences that make contact harmful or unsafe. Yet people worry that if an estranged relative names them as a health care proxy — or if they themselves avoid planning altogether — medical decisions could suddenly force unwanted involvement during a crisis.

The good news is this: advance care planning does not obligate anyone to re‑engage with family they don’t have a relationship with. Read more here.