The three basic types of advance directives are living wills, durable power of attorney for health care, and do not resuscitate orders.
The Living Wills
A living will is an agreement that allows patients to specify the type of medical treatment they would prefer if they could not make their own decisions. It can be used whenever the individual has an incurable disease and is projected to survive for less than six months or when their standard of living does not warrant further treatment.
Factors to could trigger an individual to write a living will include:
- Permanent loss of consciousness or the ability to communicate.
- Inability to keep up with life activities such as eating, dressing, and bathing.
- Life-sustaining treatment, including breathing machines.
- Artificial feeding and hydration of intravenous (IV) lines.
- Severe or chronic illness.
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
A durable power of attorney for health care is a legal agreement that allows you to appoint someone else to make health decisions on your behalf when you can not. The individual you select will be someone who understands how you would like to be treated in diverse circumstances, including religious views and end-of-life wishes.
If you’re disabled and cannot decide for yourself, such as in a coma or vegetative condition, you can use this paper. In such instances, your authorized health care proxy will have the authority to make medical choices for you, including whether or not you should obtain life-saving treatment.
Do Not Resuscitate Orders
A do not resuscitate order (DNR) is a legal document that specifies that you wouldn’t want doctors to try to restore you if your heartbeat or breathing stops. This is a viable option for persons who do not wish to be kept alive artificially.
The instructions are included in a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care, or they can be drafted separately. It’s essential to discuss instructions with your family and doctor about your wishes so that everyone is on the same page.
No one knows when their time will come, but advance directives give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have expressed your wishes. You should also talk with your loved ones about your wishes and make sure they know where to find your advance directive documents if something happens to you.