Self Care Matters

Do you and your family members have a living will? Have you chosen a person who will be your power of attorney in the event that you could not make medical decisions for yourself?

Q: Why do I need advance directives?

A: These documents state your medical care preferences in the event you become too ill to express them or have little or no chance of recovery. Advance planning can help during grave illness in the future.

Living Will (health care directive) specifies the care you want if you can't communicate your wishes. For example, you can state that you do not want to be kept alive with a breathing machine or feeding tube. Even if you refuse aggressive measures you will still receive comfort care.

Your living will takes effect only after 2 physicians certify that you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious, and incapable of making informed decisions.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (health care proxy) names another person to make medical decisions for you when you can't. This document is used with, or often instead of, a living will.

If you would like more information about living wills, or durable power of attorney, go to the American Bar Association's link.

http://www.abanet.org/aging/chapter/home.html and click on Health Care Decision Making Tools.