Compass is still being developed and is effectively in beta. Some content and features may be incomplete, change, or not work as expected.

Content is anchored to trusted sources where available, but Compass has not yet been clinically reviewed. It provides general information rather than medical advice.

Feedback helps us identify gaps, errors, usability problems and opportunities to improve Compass over time.

How Compass is developedGive feedback

Care and support systems

Enduring guardian

Someone appointed to make health and lifestyle decisions for you if you cannot, under the law of some places.

What it means

In several systems, decisions about money and decisions about health are appointed separately, and this is the health and personal side. The name and the form vary; what matters is that the right document exists where you live.

Why you might hear it

  • It is the usual term in parts of Australia.
  • Elsewhere the same job is done by a differently named appointment.

People who may help

Where Compass goes into this

About this explanation

These are plain explanations of words you may come across, not advice about your own situation. Where a word matters to a decision, the question pages go into it properly, and your own team is the place to take it.