Your Health Care: Who Decides When You Can’t?

If you ever become unable to make decisions about your own medical care, advance directives can express your preferences for you. An advance directive, for instance, helps loved ones and doctors make crucial treatment decisions if you are in a coma and unlikely to recover. Here is more information about these important documents.

Q: What is the difference between a living will and an advance directive?

A: A living will is a type of advance directive. It generally lists what treatments you do and do not want if you’re terminally ill. For example, you may list preferences about life-support measures — such as feeding tubes and breathing machines.

Q: What are other types of advance directives?

A: A second type of advance directive is a "do not resuscitate" order. This is a request not to have CPR if your heart or lungs stop functioning. People who are unlikely to benefit from CPR — such as those who are already in the late stages of a terminal illness — may choose to have a do not resuscitate order. Such an order can either be stated to your doctor or contained within a living will.

Another type of advance directive, called a durable power of attorney (DPA) for health care, states the name and contact information of someone who can make your medical decisions if you cannot do so yourself. This person is sometimes called a proxy attorney, in fact, or health care agent.

Q: Who should consider an advance directive?

A: Anyone older than age 18 should consider preparing an advance directive. While such documents are generally the concern of older adults or those with a terminal illness, accidents or serious illness can happen at any age. The key is to make these important choices while you can and to keep the documents updated.

Q: How can I write an advance directive?

A: Advance directives do not have to be lengthy and complicated legal documents. They can be fairly brief and simple, as long as they conform to state laws and guidelines. Ask your doctor or the health department for an advance directive form. Then, be sure to have these documents notarized — and make plenty of copies. Give them to family members, the hospital, your doctor, and your proxy. Keep the original in a safe but accessible place. n

A Time to Look Inside Yourself

Deciding about your own medical treatment can be a difficult matter. Think about how you define quality of life. For example, you may want to think about:

• which situations scare you
• your religious beliefs, and how these beliefs shape your view of chronic or terminal illness
• the level of independence and free will you are willing to give up.

Need an Advance Directive Form?

Meridian provides patients with an Advance Directive package as part of the admission process. You can also obtain a free brochure complete with a sample form by calling 1-800-560-9990.