What is an Advanced Directive?
Advanced directives are legal documents giving assisted living residents the opportunity to make decisions about their own future medical care. For many seniors and their loved ones, these documents provide a sense of comfort. They are relieved to know that important decisions will be made in compliance with their own requests.
Types of Advanced Directives
- DNR: A DNR is a Do Not Resuscitate Order that covers two very specific situations. If you or your loved one suffers from a heart attack or stops breathing, medical personnel are instructed not to revive you in any way. DNRs are usually prepared by your doctor at your request and kept with your medical records.
- Health Care Proxy: Creating a Health Care Proxy allows you to assign an agent that makes important decisions for you in the event that you are unable to make the decisions yourself. Family members are most commonly chosen as agents, because they have a great deal of knowledge concerning a loved one’s personal wishes and religious beliefs. Health Care Proxies are only related to medical care. It is not a Power of Attorney document.
- Living Will:Every state is different, but in most states a Living Will is a legal document that assures that your doctors are not liable for following a patient’s wishes concerning medical care. They only apply for patients with terminal conditions that are not permanently unconscious. It states that you do NOT want life-sustaining care, including things like being placed on a respirator.
Why Are Advanced Directives Important?
You have every right to make decisions about your own medical care. Advance directives communicate your wishes in the event that you are unable to let health care professionals know how you wanted to be treated in any given situation.
In difficult times of illness, family members can be placed under a tremendous amount of stress trying to make the best decision for you. If you spell out your wishes in advance, you and your family can be comforted by the fact that your desires are being carried out. Check with your doctors and legal representative for more information about Advanced Directives in your state.
Tags: advanced directives, End of Life Concerns, living will
This is a useful post. I’m always looking for smart resources to share with our residents, and your article is certainly worth sharing!