An advance care directive is a legal document that lets you say what medical treatment you want if you can’t make decisions for yourself. This document usually has two main parts: a living will and a durable power of attorney for healthcare. A living will states your wishes for end-of-life care, and the durable power of attorney names a patient advocate to make sure your wishes are followed.
It’s important to keep a signed and dated copy of your advance care directive in a safe place. I recommend putting it in a plastic bag and taping it to your refrigerator for emergency medical care. This way, emergency responders can easily find it and know what your wishes are. Having an advance care directive helps ensure that your healthcare choices are respected even when you can’t speak for yourself.
