Medical directives serve as essential tools in estate planning to ensure that you or your loved one’s wishes receive respect during medical emergencies. These legal documents provide clear instructions about your healthcare preferences if you lose the ability to make decisions.
It’s important to understand how medical directives work so you can protect yourself or your loved one.
1. Ensure your medical wishes are followed
With a medical directive, also known as a living will, you can outline specific instructions about the types of medical treatment you want or don’t want. For example, you can decide whether to receive life-sustaining treatments like resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or tube feeding.
2. Reduce family stress and conflict
When a loved one faces a medical crisis, family members often struggle with making difficult decisions, especially when they don’t know what the person would have wanted. With a medical directive, your family can avoid disagreements and feel confident they’re honoring your wishes, bringing peace of mind during challenging times.
3. Appoint a trusted healthcare proxy
Medical directives allow you to appoint a healthcare proxy, also known as a durable power of attorney for healthcare. This person, typically a trusted family member or friend, holds the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf if you can’t do so.
Take control of your healthcare decisions
Taking the time to set up medical directives is an act of foresight and care. It provides a framework that ensures your family respects your healthcare decisions, even when you can’t express them yourself. This proactive approach helps to manage unforeseen challenges with clarity and confidence.