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Advanced care directives

Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Medical power of attorney
Medical power of attorney

Alternative Names    Return to top

Power of attorney; DNR; Do not resuscitate; Living will

Definition    Return to top

Advanced care directives are specific instructions, prepared in advance, that are intended to direct a person's medical care if he or she becomes unable to do so in the future.

Information    Return to top

Advanced care directives allow patients to make their own decisions regarding the care they would prefer to receive if they develop a terminal illness or a life-threatening injury. Advanced care directives can also designate someone the patient trusts to make decisions about medical care if the patient becomes unable to make (or communicate) these decisions.

Federal law requires hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions that receive Medicare or Medicaid funds to provide written information regarding advanced care directives to all patients upon admission.

Advanced care directives can reduce:

However, advanced care directives cannot predict what situations may arise in the future or what new modes of care may be available for situations considered nearly hopeless today.

EXAMPLES OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

Verbal instructions. These are any decisions regarding care that are communicated verbally by an individual to health care providers and family members.

Organ donation. This may be accomplished by completing an organ donation card and carrying it in your wallet. A second card may be placed with important papers (such as a living will, insurance papers, and so on). Most hospitals or other major health care centers have organ donor information available.

Many states offer people who are applying for new or renewed driver's license the opportunity to make a decision regarding organ donation and have it recorded on the driver's license. More information may be obtained by calling 1-800-24-DONOR.

Living will. This is a written, legal document that conveys the wishes of a person in the event of terminal illness. This document can speak for a patient who is unable to communicate. A living will may indicate specific care or treatment the person does or does not want performed under specific circumstances. This may include specific procedures, care, or treatments such as the following:

State laws vary regarding living wills. Information specific to individual states usually may be obtained from the state bar association, state medical association, state nursing association, and most hospitals or medical centers.

A living will is not to be confused with a last will and testament that distributes assets after a person's death.

Special medical power of attorney. A legal document that allows an individual to appoint someone else (proxy) to make medical or health care decisions, in the event the individual becomes unable to make or communicate such decisions personally.

NOTE: This document provides for power to make medically related decisions only and does not give any individual power to make legal or financial decisions.

DNR (do not resuscitate) order. This states that CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is not to be performed if your breathing stops or your heart stops beating. The order may be written by the person's doctor after discussing the issue with the person (if possible), the proxy, or family.

RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

The process of creating advanced care directives may be difficult. It requires you to think about your priorities regarding quality of life and your death. Treatment options, and their possible influence on your quality of life, need to be fully understood and considered. Know the potential implications of choosing or refusing specific forms of care.

Discuss your wishes regarding advanced care directives with your health care providers, family members, and friends. Review your wishes from time to time to remind everyone.

Update Date: 11/13/2007

Updated by: Michael Langan, M.D., Department of Geriatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2009, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.