Are you dealing with a recurring illness that has the potential to render you disabled or incapacitated at any point in time? What if that moment finally comes and you will lose the ability to speak or move your body? Are you prepared for what that time will come? Have finished your estate planning and have left your assets to a genuinely reliable person? Do you already have your advance care directives to wills? Here’s a fact: most people tend to overlook the significance of having an estate plan. You should know better. The impact of not having a will is going to affect you and your family when your illness incapacitates you. That’s why as early as right now, you should consider creating advanced care directives. In this article, you’re going to learn everything about it. Continue reading and get to know more about advance directives
What Comprises an Advance Care Directive?
An advance care directive is a legal document that states how you’d want to be treated. It activates when you’re no longer able to make your own decisions. This document will have two parts, which are the following:
- Creation of a living will – this section will state the different types of medical treatment and attention that you’ll need.
- The naming of Healthcare provider – this section will state the person who will become an advocate for your personal care when you’re no longer able to do so by yourself.
Choosing a Healthcare Provider
The person you will authorise will be given full power to make decisions on your behalf. This person will assume authority over your medical needs and choices when you’re physically and mentally unable to make decisions on your own. This person will fill out any relevant paperwork, as well as get forms notarised if necessary. Once all of that is in place, you can then create your advance care directives to wills.
Decisions to Make
Advance directives include choosing the healthcare provider that you’d want to nominate. Once your advance care directive takes into effect, the healthcare provider that you’ve chosen will now have the green light to make decisions on the following:
- Request or decline any life-support treatment options.
- Make choices about your medical care needs; this will include surgery, medication and tests.
- Have the authority to either accept or refuse specific medical procedures.
- Will have the final say on your admission to a hospital or nursing home.
- Choose where to get medical treatment, including the authority to transfer you from one hospital to another.
For more information about advance care directives to wills, check out this link. You can also click this link over here to talk to an attorney right now if you’re interested in establishing an advance directive.