24 Jul What is an Advance Directive?
No one can ever truly anticipate an illness or injury, but you can be prepared. Advance care planning is for everyone, regardless of age or current health status. By planning the unforeseen, documenting your wishes, and sharing them with a trusted loved one, you can help ensure your preferences will be honored in the event that you become incapacitated or unable to communicate.
Advance Directives
Advance directives are legal documents that are put in place so your medical care wishes can be followed in the event that you are unable to direct your care or communicate your preferences. It’s important to note that creating these do not take away your decision-making abilities; they only go into effect when you choose or when you cannot state your own wishes due to an illness, injury, or as you near the end of life. The two most common advance care documents are a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney. For more detailed information, view this booklet from the state of Alaska.
Living Will: A Living Will is a legal document giving specific instructions for medical treatments that you do or do not want in the event of an emergency. They also indicate to what extend you would like those treatments to be continued in order to extend your life. If you would like to be an organ donor, it should be noted in this document.
Durable Power of Attorney: This is another legal document that allows you to appoint an agent to act on your behalf for legal, financial and medical matters. It can be put into effect immediately, for a limited amount of time, or you can choose to have it activated only if you become incapacitated. In order to be recognized, it must be notarized. A POA becomes null after an individual passes away, making the appointment person no longer able to make decisions in terms of financial matters. A blank Alaska POA form can be found here.
Do not Resuscitate (DNR)
A DNR specifically addresses whether or not you would like to be resuscitated if your heart stops beating.
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
A POLST does not replace any other future care planning documents, but it is highly recommended to be used as an additional document for those with advanced, chronic, or end-stage illnesses. This document helps to guide you through discussions pertaining to your wishes with your family and medical care team. Once completed, it is turned into a physician’s order and is recognized outside of hospital settings. You can find a copy of an Alaska POLST here.