Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney
Advance care planning is not just about old age. At any age, a medical crisis could leave you too ill to make your own healthcare decisions. Even if you are not sick now, planning for future health care is an important step toward making sure you get the medical care you want if you are unable to speak for yourself.
What is Advanced Care Planning?
Advance care planning involves learning about the types of decisions that might need to be made, considering those decisions ahead of time, and then letting others know—both your family and your healthcare providers—about your preferences. These preferences are often put into an advance directive, a legal document that goes into effect only if you are incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself. This could be the result of disease or severe injury—no matter how old you are. It helps others know what type of medical care you want.
An advance directive also allows you to express your values and desires related to end-of-life care. You might think of it as a living document—one that you can adjust as your situation changes because of new information or a change in your health.
Many Americans face questions about medical treatment, but may not be capable of making or expressing those decisions in an emergency or at the end-of-life. These decisions need to be made in advance and memorialized in legal documentation. The task may seem overwhelming as questions you never thought about are raised, but you must think about these questions now so you and your family are prepared later. We can help you navigate your medical directives and who you would want to make decisions for you if you can't speak for yourself. We will also discuss ways you can share your wishes with others, including your doctors and family. By writing these decisions down now, you will take some of the burden off your family and friends if an emergency or end-of-life situation arises.
