What Is an Advance Health Care Directive?
Have you thought about what kind of health care you would want at the end of life? Would you want your family to use life-sustaining procedures such as mechanical ventilation or artificial nutrition and hydration if you are terminally ill or if you are in a persistent vegetative state? Would you want your loved ones agonizing over making life and death decisions for you during a time of emotional turmoil?
If you were in an accident that left you unable to make your own health care decisions or speak for yourself, who would you want to speak for you and make your medical decisions?
By preparing Advance Health Care Directives such as a Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney, you can make your wishes known and appoint a health care agent to make medical decisions on your behalf should you be unable to speak for yourself. You should give a copy of your Advance Health Care documents to your primary physician, your health care agent, and/or a trusted relative.
