Why You Should Write Your Advance Health Care Directive

You may know what and how much medical care you want at the end of your life, but does anyone else? Few of us want to be so incapacitated that we could not make decisions affecting our well-being, so we need to plan today for tomorrow. 

Terry Hollenbeck, M.D., an urgent care physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) Santa Cruz, wrote an informative summary of why and how to write your own Advance Health Care Directive.

California has established an Advance Health Care Directive — sometimes referred to as a “living will” — that instructs physicians as to your wishes for medical treatment if you were to be incapacitated and unable to make decisions on your own. All adults age 18 and older need advance directives.

Under California law, this form allows you to name an agent, granting that person power of attorney, to make health care decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated.

In a recent PAMF health blog post, Dr. Hollenbeck offers some useful recommendations for how to prepare your Advance Health Care Directive, including who to rely on for help, how your doctor can support your wishes, and how to make it official.

He also explains what a physician’s order for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) can do, and how it complements your Advance Directive.

You can find more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, and a free downloadable Advance Health Care Directive form (English and Spanish) on the Palo Alto Medical Foundation website:

• Advance Health Care Directive Form — in English
• Directiva Por Anticipado De La Atencion De La Salud— en Espanol
• AHCD FAQs
• ACHD Terminology

Learn more about AHCD and POLST:

• Your Guide to POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) -California’s resource page for consumers
• Advance Health Care Directive (PAMF’s information and resources page for AHCDs)
• Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (POLST, AHCD, DNR)