It’s a good idea to think about your future care and what you’d like it to be. Advance directives are simply your plan for just that, including for if a time comes when you might be unable to communicate what you want.
Advance directives help you make known:
- Who should handle health care decisions for you when you cannot
- The kind of treatment you want or don’t want (your living will)
- How comfortable you want to be (in managing pain)
Your doctor is a good resource for helping you think about your decisions. If you already have a plan—great! Be sure to review it at least once a year to make sure you don’t want to change it. And anytime you do change your advance directives, make sure your doctor—and trusted family and friends—have a copy.
Check out www.peopleshealth.com/advancecareplanning for more tips and resources.
