What are Advance Directives for Health Care (Living Wills)?
Advance Directives for Health Care include living wills, health care proxies or similar documents. In this legal document, the elder specifies the nature of medical treatments desired or opposed to. He usually designates a person(s) to make medical decisions on the elder’s behalf if unable to do so.
A living will deals with imminent death. A living will is a directive to a physician where an individual expresses his wish not to be kept alive by extraordinary means in the event of a terminal condition as determined by the physicians (usually the attending and a second physician). The living will should be specific regarding the conditions and treatments to be continued and discontinued.
Health care proxies or power of attorney for health care are not limited by imminent death. The document can give specific directions concerning health care decisions such as the choice to stay at home by all means possible. Elderly persons should be encouraged to execute advance directives that clearly communicate their wishes.
The principal should carry signed living trust cards with their medical insurance cards to alert the emergency personnel of an alternate decision maker.
State law governs the execution of documents, the meanings of competence and capacity. Most libraries and state web sites have sample copies. Even if properly drafted and executed, health care providers sometimes fail to honor the advance directives. Many times ethical issues prevent compliance.
Advance Directives for Health Care include living wills, health care proxies or similar documents. In this legal document, the elder specifies the nature of medical treatments desired or opposed to. He usually designates a person(s) to make medical decisions on the elder’s behalf if unable to do so.
A living will deals with imminent death. A living will is a directive to a physician where an individual expresses his wish not to be kept alive by extraordinary means in the event of a terminal condition as determined by the physicians (usually the attending and a second physician). The living will should be specific regarding the conditions and treatments to be continued and discontinued.
Health care proxies or power of attorney for health care are not limited by imminent death. The document can give specific directions concerning health care decisions such as the choice to stay at home by all means possible. Elderly persons should be encouraged to execute advance directives that clearly communicate their wishes.
The principal should carry signed living trust cards with their medical insurance cards to alert the emergency personnel of an alternate decision maker.
State law governs the execution of documents, the meanings of competence and capacity. Most libraries and state web sites have sample copies. Even if properly drafted and executed, health care providers sometimes fail to honor the advance directives. Many times ethical issues prevent compliance.
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