There will come a point for most people when someone else has to make their health care decisions. End of life is not the only time people may need this help – cognitive issues or non-terminal serious illness can impede decision making. Having a legally appointed health care surrogate and health directives are invaluable for these situations.

There are two ways to create advance directive documents – have an attorney create one for you or use a legally valid form available from your doctor or on the internet.

Forms Created by Attorneys

Most attorneys create health directives (also known as a living will) and a health care surrogate form as part of an estate planning package.

The forms created by attorneys are often very basic. The health care surrogate form lists your health care decision makers – this article describes how you should pick a health care surrogate.

The living will is valid only if a person has a terminal illness, persistent vegetative state (absence of brain function,) or an end stage process such as untreatable heart, liver, or kidney failure. It documents whether or not you would want life prolonging treatments in the event of one of these conditions.

If your attorney prepares only basic forms, it is important for you to provide additional instructions to your health care surrogate about the choices you would make in the event you do not have a life ending illness that activates your living will.

The Whealthcare Proactive Aging Plan allows you to document the quality of life you require to keep living. For example, if you could never communicate with anyone through any means ever again, would you want to continue aggressive care focused on keeping you alive? Your surrogate can use these quality of life wishes as a guide in making health care decisions for you in the event that you cannot speak for yourself during a health event.

Other Health Care Directive Options

If you do not have an attorney to provide advance directive documents, there are valid legal forms available free online. Consult the following sources:

• “Prepare for your care” provides robust forms legal in all 50 states which allow you to name your health care surrogate, create a living will, and document facts your health care surrogate will need to know to make effective health care decisions for you.
• “The Conversation Project” doesn’t provide advance directive forms, but does provide a guide for how to discuss your wishes with your family.

Everyone should have health directives. Using these free sources is a great step toward proactively preparing yourself and your family for future health care events.