What You Need to Know About Advance Directives
[Updated 2023] If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that life is unpredictable. Situations change and the questions we’ve put off thinking about can become important in a moment.
So let’s think about them.
How do you want to be treated when you are facing the end of your life? What is important to you? If you aren’t able to speak for yourself, what do you want the people making decisions for you to know? Do you have someone you trust to make those decisions — and is there someone who trusts you in the same way?
That’s where an Advance Directive comes in.
What is an Advance Directive?
An advance directive is a legal document that explains how you want medical decisions about you to be made if you cannot make the decisions yourself. Examples are personal directive, medical directive or living will. The directive lays out the answers to questions like these for medical professionals and for family members who might otherwise struggle with difficult decisions in emotionally-charged situations.
Why is an Advance Directive Important?
If you are worried about a loved one, please click on the links below for more information and for step-by-step questionnaires that can help guide truly personal directives. Then sit down with your loved one and talk openly about these questions. Imagine the peace of mind you can bring by helping your loved one draft a directive that represents their genuine wishes and cherished values.
How do I approach an Advance Directive?
As part of an Advance Directive, your loved one may appoint a healthcare proxy — a person empowered to make medical decisions should incapacitation occur. If your loved one is reluctant to put specific medical decisions in writing knowing that future situations may change, having a trusted healthcare proxy who can evaluate new situations and make decisions as needed could be a tremendous relief. A word of caution, though: before you take on such a responsibility, make sure that you agree with the decisions your loved one has made in their Advance Directive. If you don’t, be honest and help them to find a more compatible proxy.
This is also a good time to bring your loved one’s physician into the discussion for a better understanding of future health risks and likely concerns. And please don’t worry about the cost: during a wellness visit, conversations about advance care planning are covered by Medicare.
Advance Directives in the United States
In the United States, Advance Directives are legal documents, governed by state laws. As the laws vary from state to state, if you or your loved one travels or resides in multiple states, consider creating an Advance Directive for each location.
Sources:
ClearCare — Creating an Advance Directive
The National Institute on Aging – Advance Care Planning: Health Care Directives
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning-health-care-directivesThe Conversation Project of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
https://theconversationproject.org