I N F O R M AT I O N
Advance Directives Information Sheet hat is an advance directive? An advance directive is a document that states your choices about medical treatment, and can name someone to make those decisions for you if you are unable to make them yourself. That person is commonly referred to as a healthcare proxy or medical power-of-attorney. You can also create a living will (not to be confused with a will used after death) which is also an advance directive wherein you can indicate what type of medical treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life or in an emergency situation. Usually when you have a conversation with your doctor about medical treatment, you ask questions and get as much information as you can in order to make a decision based on informed consent. If you are ill or injured and cannot have those conversations, it is important that you prepare in advance to appoint someone to do that for you. It is a good idea to put your wishes in writing which will help ensure that your choices concerning medical treatment will be observed. Who can have an advance directive? Anyone who is age 18 or older. Once you are of legal age to make your own decisions, you can have an advance directive because injuries, accidents and illness can happen at any age. Who can make an advance directive? An advance directive can only be made by someone who is competent, and it must be made voluntarily. Note that you cannot “get powerof-attorney over someone”. Only the individual can appoint their own medical decision-maker.
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www.aacounty.org/aging
