Make your final healthcare wishes known through advance directives

They’re called advance directives – documents that explain how you wish your healthcare to be handled should you become unable to speak for yourself. It’s a topic that can be uncomfortable to discuss, but time spent now addressing this important topic can avoid debate and confusion among family members.

Key advance directives are the living will and the durable healthcare power of attorney. The living will describes what types of treatments you would or would not want at the end of your life, and allows your physician to carry out your wishes.

Through a healthcare power of attorney, you can appoint someone you trust to make healthcare decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated.

Circumstances can change, so consider wording for the document that gives your agent broad authority, such as this excerpt from the Illinois Statutory Power of Attorney for Healthcare Form: “I do not want...life-sustaining treatment...if my agent believes the burdens of treatment outweigh the expected benefits. I want my agent to consider the relief of suffering, the expense involved, and the quality as well as the possible extension of life in making decisions...”

But if you would want aggressive end-of-life treatment, choose wording similar to this excerpt from the Illinois form: “I want my life to be prolonged to the greatest extent possible without regard to my condition, the chances I have for recovery or the cost of the procedures.”

The choice is yours. The most important thing is to put it in writing and make sure your agent, family members and healthcare providers can locate the document, if necessary.

For more information, visit www.EEHealth.org/patients-visitors/guide/patient-information/advance-directives.