Advanced Directives

The Advance Directive

Health Care Proxy

A Health Care Proxy (HCP) is a document that a person fills out appointing someone to make decisions about medical care in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself.  The HCP is especially useful because it appoints a person to speak your wishes. TIP: The person you appoint needs to know your wishes. Have open discussion with the HCP prior to appointing them.

Living Will

A living will is legal document usually developed with an attorney that lets you, the patient state your wishes in writting regarding medical care if you are terminally ill, unconscious, or minimally conscious and you cant express them yourself. Tip: When deveolping this document avoid using ambiguios language such as “no heroic measures,or ” no life sustaining treatment”