What is PREPARE?

Prepare for Your Care (PREPARE) is an online resource that helps people begin the important process of planning for medical decision-making. Using video stories, PREPARE helps people explore their personal wishes and learn how to discuss them with family, friends, and medical providers. You can access the website by going to PREPAREforYourCare.org.

Does it cost money to use PREPARE?

No. PREPARE is free as long as its use follows our terms of use. PREPARE is not a company, but a program within the University of California. It is OK to go through the PREPARE website, watch the videos, download any of the PREPARE materials, or put on PREPARE movie events – as long as these materials and events are provided for free. Under our copyright and license agreement, it is OK to provide a PREPARE link as a list of resources to individual patients or people. Please use the complete program name, Prepare for Your Care, and this weblink: https://prepareforyourcare.org.

For companies, organizations, clinics, hospitals, insurers, employers, researchers or other institutions who want to brand our materials with their own logos, put our PDF materials on their own websites, use PREPARE materials in research, or use part of PREPARE in their own work, they must have a license agreement with the University of California. Please go here for more information.

Do I have to create an account and sign in to use PREPARE?

No. You can use the PREPARE for YOUR Care and PREPARE for THEIR Care programs as a guest without an account.

If you decide to do your OWN medical planning and use PREPARE for YOUR Care, you may want to sign in to have the program save your answers about medical planning so you can see and change them in the future. The program will always keep your information private and safe.

Is PREPARE in more than one language?

Yes. PREPARE is in Spanish and English. We are attempting to get additional funding to provide PREPARE in Chinese. Many of our printed advance directive forms may also be in several languages depending upon the state.

How can I get the PREPARE newsletter?

Getting the PREPARE newsletter is a great way to stay up to date on PREPARE innovations, research, events, and coming attractions. You can also follow us on X: @prepareforcare and Facebook: www.facebook.com/prepareforcare. You can also sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

How can I donate and help support the PREPARE program?

Thank you for thinking of us. PREPARE is not a business, but a small program run out of the University of California, San Francisco. We depend on grants, license agreements, gifts, and donations to keep the website up and running and free to the public. Every little bit helps. If you would like to make a donation, please visit this site.

PREPARE is a free resource to the public, but some uses of PREPARE require a license. Companies, organizations, clinics, hospitals, insurers, employers, researchers or other institutions will need a license. You can find more information about PREPARE Licensing here.

Did someone send me to PREPARE because they think I am ill or dying?

No. This type of planning and preparation is for all adults, at any age or stage of health. Someone could review PREPARE at age 18 or 80. For example, Step 1 of the PREPARE website is about choosing the right medical decision maker. We all should do this. And, no matter what stage of life or health, this will help make sure our family, friends, and medical providers know our wishes so they will not have to guess. This makes sure, that even if we do get very sick, we can have a say in our healthcare.