Should You Invest in an Advance Directive?

by | Oct 13, 2016 | Attorney

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A very important question you want to ask yourself is whether you should invest in an advance directive. You may even be wondering just what exactly an advance directive is. It’s a legal document that gives you the opportunity to state your medical treatment choices before you need that type of care. You can also name someone you want to make treatment choices for you should you be unable to make them yourself for any reason. It is imperative to understand that your advance directive will only be followed should you become physically or mentally unable to communicate your specific wishes in regards to your medical care.  You can get an advance directive in Dallas area by using the online services provided by experts in the field.

Consider a Directive to Family, Surrogates, or Physicians

An advance directive is also referred to as a living will. You should have such a form created before you ever suffer from a terminal or irreversible condition that keeps you from communicating to attending physicians. An advance directive simply instructs a physician your wishes in regards to administering treatments such as withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining options. This includes using life-sustaining medications, or artificial life support systems including kidney dialysis, mechanical breathing machines, and artificial hydration and nutrition that cannot make you better or cure your condition. By using an advance directive you are letting your physicians know how you would like them to handle treatments so you are not prolonging death.

Remember These Points

Remember these points while planning an advance directive. At any time, and for any reason, you can cancel or change an advance directive to family, surrogates, or physicians. An advance directive only goes into effect once you have an irreversible or terminal condition and you are not able to make decisions about your own health care.

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