Health Care

Types of Health Care Directives: (All Health Care Directives must witnessed by a Notary Public. )

Planning ahead with an Advance Healthcare Directive can make difficult health care decisions less stressful.

Making end-of-life wishes can be daunting, especially in the face of a terminal illness or serious injury. Where it concerns your healthcare and preferred medical treatment, preparing an advance health care directive is a smart and practical thing to do. Preparing ahead of time can make difficult health care decisions less stressful.

Understanding Advance Directives

An advance directive for healthcare is a written legal document that states your healthcare wishes in the event that you are unable to communicate or make decisions. Usually, this is when you are medically determined to be permanently unconscious or terminally ill by at least two physicians.

In this document, you appoint an individual to be your agent that oversees executing your wishes and preferences regarding provisions of healthcare by healthcare providers such as doctors, nurses, specialists, etc. Each state has its own requirements for eligibility.

Depending on the state in which you reside, terminology, content, revocation, and healthcare laws differ. These variances will greatly determine who you can appoint, what treatment you can withhold or request for, and how you can revoke or change your directive.

Is a Living Will the Same as an Advance Health Care Directive?

A living will is a declaration of your healthcare wishes. It does not normally include appointing a power of attorney. An advance healthcare directive is both a living will and a power of attorney.

A living will is also referred to as a health care declaration, directive to physicians, health care directive, or an advance medical directive.

A power of attorney, on the other hand, is also referred to as a medical power of attorney, power of attorney for health care, designation of surrogate, health care power of attorney, and patient advocate designation depending on the state in which you reside.

What Is a Health Care Agent?

A health care agent also referred to as a patient advocate, health care proxy, surrogate, or health care representative is an individual you appoint in a durable power of attorney. Once the power of attorney is signed and dated, the person is authorized to execute your health care wishes should you be unable to make health care decisions yourself.

You limit the agent’s authority by adding details to the power of attorney that explains what they can and cannot, do on your behalf. State law may also limit the agent’s authority over your healthcare. The power of attorney is usually accompanied by a health care declaration.

Usually, an agent is a close friend or family member over 18 years of age. All Health Care Directives must witnessed by a Notary Public.