Why would I want an Advance Directive or Living Will?

We find that more people are confused about these documents than any others.

These are the documents you hear your health care professionals ask for… prior to any procedures, especially if general anesthesia will be involved. Think how nice it will be to say “Yes, I have those on file here” the next time you are asked.

Advance Directive, Living Will and a Natural Death Declaration all accomplish the same goal… they just have with different names.

These are the documents that you execute to provide notice to your family as well as your physicians etc. about what To Do or “NOT” TO DO in case you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious and cannot communicate at all. These documents also allow you to choose the person or persons that you wish to make the any final decisions about you if end of life decisions must be made.

These documents are different than a DNR or DO NOT RESUSCITATE, sometimes more accurately called do not attempt resuscitation.

What are the Benefits of an Advance Directive/Living Will?

Advance Directive/Living Will is a document that tells the medical professional what you would like to be done or not done if you are terminally ill and near death from that condition.

• The Advance Directive addresses such things such as CPR, ventilator, feeding tube, IV fluids, etc. Advance Directives only come into play in a narrow set of circumstances. If you have a car wreck, the advance directive is not used in the emergency room. The doctors there will try to save your life even if you have an advance directive on file.
• The Advance Directive is usually a fill-in the blank form. The form is convenient for this document because it is the form heath care providers are accustomed to seeing. When important, possibly life-ending decisions are to be made you do not want a doctor needing to consult an attorney to be sure of what the document says.
• Within the Advance Directive/Living Will you will designate your Health Care Proxy. A Health Care Proxy is the person or persons you designate to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so on your own.

What is the Role of a Health Care Proxy?

Your Health Care Proxy has the legal power — and responsibility — to make medical decisions for you if you’re unable to make them for yourself. Your proxy can talk with your doctors, consult your medical records, and make decisions about tests, procedures, and other treatment .