Why Do You Need an Advance Directive?

Why do you need an Advance Directive? Part of being fully prepared for a surgery means taking into account all possible risks involved and planning accordingly. It is usually best to plan ahead as far as possible when you’re feeling your physical, emotional, and mental best so that you are confident that your choices are the product of level-headed thinking. In other words, it is advisable to start planning now rather than waiting until the morning of your surgery date when you might already be rattled. Advance Directives are documents that afford you the ability to state your wishes for medical care should you not be able to convey these yourself, including the significant decision of whether or not you would want to be resuscitated if something does go awry during surgery.

Within an Advance Directive, you also can name a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, often called a proxy, who is someone you trust and is familiar with your preferences for care so that he or she can legally make choices on your behalf if you’re unable. That person can also help arrange for care following your discharge if you end up needing more help than anticipated. Although our hope is always that surgery goes exactly as planned with smooth recoveries, it is best to be prepared for all risks so you can be assured your preferences for medical treatment will be followed.

Making these arrangements is also beneficial to your loved ones who may also be nervous about your upcoming surgery, so that they clearly know what your preferences are and do not have to make any guesses in an already tense situation. While we do recommend meeting with an attorney to ensure all your legal, financial, and medical affairs are in order, creating an Advance Health Care Directive does not necessitate it. In fact, here is a link to a template that anyone can print and fill out with two signatures of witnesses:

https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/consumers/ProbateCodeAdvancedHealthCareDirectiveForm-fillable.pdf

Our team of experts at Eldercare Services is available to assist in making sure you have the care you need. Click here to contact us for a complimentary assessment, we'd love to hear from you!

by Katie O' Donnell, MSW, CMC