Advance directives are legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes. The two most common advance directives for health care are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care. Advance directives guide choices for healthcare professionals and caregivers in certain situations.

Understanding the Context

For example, a medical team may use advance directives when you're unable to talk and are terminally ill, seriously injured, in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of life. What is an advance directive? An advance directive is a legal document that outlines an individual’s wishes regarding future major medical decisions. An advance directive is a legal document that outlines your wishes regarding future major medical decisions.

Key Insights

These documents typically go into effect when you cannot communicate your wishes. An advance directive is a legal document that tells your healthcare providers and loved ones what type of medical care you want to receive if you can’t tell them yourself. It describes the kinds of medical care you want to have if you're badly hurt or have a serious illness and can't speak for yourself. A living will (declaration) and a medical power of attorney (durable power of attorney for health care) are types of advance directives. What is an advance directive?

Final Thoughts

An advance directive, sometimes called a "living will," is a written document that tells your health care providers who should speak for you and what medical decisions they should make if you become unable to speak for yourself. An advance directive helps avoid confusion and lets you have a say in the kind of care you receive if there ever comes a time when you can’t make healthcare decisions for yourself. Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to spell out your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They give you a way to tell your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals and to avoid confusion later on. What is an Advance Directive? Advance directives are written statements regarding health care wishes that protect your rights if you are incapable of making medical decisions.