Advance care planning is the process of understanding, discussing, and documenting your preferences for future medical care in case you become unable to communicate your wishes. The two primary legal documents are a living will (specifying treatment preferences) and a healthcare power of attorney/healthcare proxy (naming someone to make decisions for you).
10 steps across 1 sections
1. Steps Guide
- Reflect on your values and goals — Before completing any forms, think about what matters most to you: quality of life vs. length of life, independence, pain management, being at home vs. in a facil...
- Learn about common medical decisions — Understand the treatments you may need to address: CPR, mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes, dialysis, blood transfusions, antibiotics for life-threatening ...
- Choose a healthcare proxy/agent — Select someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf. This person should: understand your values and wishes, be willing and able to advocate for you, ...
- Have conversations with your proxy and family — Share your values, specific wishes, and reasoning with your healthcare proxy, close family members, and your doctor. These conversations are more imp...
- Complete your state's advance directive forms — Download free forms from your state at caringinfo.org (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) or through your state's health department. ...
- Complete a living will — Specify your wishes for life-sustaining treatment under various scenarios: terminal illness, permanent unconsciousness, and advanced dementia. Be as specific as possible ab...
- Complete a healthcare power of attorney — Formally designate your healthcare proxy with the legal authority to make decisions when you cannot. Name an alternate agent in case your primary choice is...
- Consider a POLST/MOLST form — For those with serious illness or advanced age, a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) or Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) transl...
- Distribute copies — Give copies to your healthcare proxy, all your doctors, your local hospital, your attorney, and close family members. Keep the original in an accessible location (not a safe dep...
- Review and update regularly — Revisit your advance directives at least annually and after any major life event: serious diagnosis, hospitalization, marriage/divorce, death of your proxy, or signifi...
Common Mistakes
- Assuming family automatically can make decisions
- Being too vague
- Only completing one document
- Storing documents where no one can find them
- Not talking to your proxy
Pro Tips
- Use conversation guides
- Complete Five Wishes
- Ask your doctor to initiate the conversation
- Everyone over 18 needs advance directives
- Update after every major health event