Most of us don’t like to think about the possibility of something harmful happening to us or a loved one. Because of this, we rarely think about how to protect ourselves and our loved ones if the worst were to happen. Just as it is important to buy home insurance to protect your home and auto insurance to protect your vehicle, every individual should have an advanced health care directive to protect themselves if they are no longer able to make decisions for their health care, end of life, living arrangements, and various other personal matters.
The basic definition of an advanced health care directive is a legal document or group of legal documents in which a person puts in writing what their wishes are for their health if they no longer have capacity to make these decisions for themselves. Advanced health care directives are often comprised of a living will and a health care proxy. Everyone who is above the age of 18 should have one.
There are several key items you should include in your advanced health care directive. While these can be drafted without legal help, this is a legally binding document as soon a