Health Care Documents
An advance directive is a document that specifies the medical and personal care you would want shoud you lose the ability to make and/or communicate your own decisions.
Everyone over the age of 18 should have one. If something were to happen to you or a loved one, would you want specific loved ones to know your condition or to learn about their condition? Wouldn’t you want specific loved ones help make decisions for you? And, wouldn’t you want the ability to help them, especially your children? Sure you would! But, without any kind of document you become powerless, and so are your loved ones.
In a court proceeding, a judge will appoint someone to be your guardian. Not only is it not your choice, but someone who may not want to be in court guardianship proceedings. That is why anyone over the age of 18 may and should execute an advance directive.
Your advance directive can specify who will make and communicate decisions for you. It can set out the circumstances under which you would not like your life to be prolonged if, for example, you were in a coma with no reasonable chance of recovery.
Making your wishes known now, in advance a crisis prevents loved ones from making such choices at one of the most stressful times in their lives. Further, providing such information means physicians know whose directions to follow, in the event there is a disagreement. Remember Terry Shivo, don’t put your family through that painful process, by appointing someone to make those decisions, and make your wishes known for the medical treatment you want and don’t want.
These Documents Express in Advance Whether or Not You Wish…
- To be given life sustaining treatments in the event you are terminally ill or injured
- To be provided food and water through intravenous devices
- To use heart-lung machines, ventilators, and other medical equipment and techniques that will sustain and possibly extend your life
Don’t leave your loved ones guessing or powerless to make critical decisions, and don’t leave the door open for the state to determine your medical decisions for you. Contact me today to make sure your health care documents are in order. You never know when you will need them.
To review your health documentation, call us today at 415-905-0215 or fill out the contact form below to send us an email.