Advance Directive FAQ’s: Answering the Most Common Questions
You may know that an advance directive can help communicate your wishes if you cannot speak for yourself. Still, knowing that you should have one does not necessarily answer all the questions that come with it. Is a living will the same thing? When does an advance directive actually take effect? What happens if you […]
Living Will, DNR or POLST: Why These Terms Shouldn’t Be Used Interchangeably
A living will, a DNR, and a POLST can all communicate important information about medical care. That does not make them interchangeable. One can describe wishes for future medical treatment. Another addresses whether CPR should be attempted if a person’s heart stops or they stop breathing. The third turns current treatment decisions into medical orders […]
Your Advance Directive Is Safe. Is It Accessible?
An advance directive is an important legal document, so keeping it somewhere safe makes sense. You want it protected from loss, damage, or access by people who shouldn’t have it. At the same time, an advance directive is a document that someone else may need when you can’t retrieve it yourself. That makes accessibility part […]
Advance Directives and Dementia: Why Earlier Conversations Matter
A dementia diagnosis can bring a long list of questions. What will change? How quickly will it happen? What kind of help may be needed later? It can also raise questions about future healthcare decisions. If there comes a time when you cannot make or communicate those decisions yourself, who would you want to speak […]
How to Create an Advance Directive: Where Do You Start?
You know you should have an advance directive. What are you actually supposed to decide before you create one? It can feel like a lot to figure out. What medical care would you want in a situation you’ve never faced? Who would you trust to make decisions for you if you couldn’t make them yourself? […]