Health Care Directive

What is a health care directive?

A health care directive (also known as an โ€œadvance directiveโ€ orย โ€œliving willโ€) is a legal written document that tells others about how you want to be taken care of when youย canโ€™t communicate with them, as in situations where you may be critically ill or injured. It allows you to name another person, called an โ€œagent,โ€ to decideย for you if you are unable to decide. You and/or your agent must be at least 18 years old to make a health care directive.

Why have a health care directive?

Making decisions for someone else can be very hard when you donโ€™t know exactly what they would want. The health care directive helps your family, your agent or your doctor make decisions about your care based on your preferences. You fill it out when you are healthy and thinking clearly. The directive will help guide others toward the kind of care you want in the event you are unable to make those decisions for yourself.

Download aย Health Care Directive (pdf)ย that you can print and fill out at home.

Health Care Directives informs others of your health care wishes

A health care directive is also known as advance directive or living will.

Last Updated on 05/22/2023 by Chris Gartner

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