Advance Directives
A Simple and Smart Way to Take Charge of Your Care
One of the most important decisions you can make about your care is to fill out advance
directives in case you can no longer speak for yourself. Advance directives are documents that
let others know your wishes about the type of care you want. Without an advance directive,
your loved ones may disagree about what you’d want. Creating these plans can give both you
and your family peace of mind by making your wishes clear. And they will only be used if you
become unconscious or too ill to communicate yourself.
Different states have different laws about advance directives. If you spend a lot of time
in another state, you may want to fill out that state’s documents as well. Check with your admissions department or nurse if you have any questions. Directives can include:
Living Will
This set of instructions explains the type of life-prolonging medical care you wish to accept or
refuse. It can include your wishes about the use of resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops, a
ventilator if you stop breathing, or feeding tubes or IVs if you cannot eat or drink.
Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
This is a legal document that names your healthcare proxy — someone who can make
medical decisions for you if you’re unable to do so. An official healthcare proxy can
represent your wishes on emergency care and other medical issues like potential treatment
options, blood transfusions, kidney dialysis, etc. Choose someone you trust, discuss your
medical wishes, and make sure the person agrees to represent you in this role.
Fill Out Your Forms
Make sure you submit advance directives each time you go to the hospital so your most current information and wishes are on file. You do not need a lawyer to fill these out. For more information and to get the forms you need, contact your nurse.