Definition of advance health care directive?

Answer 1

First, most States in the USA have a form to use as An Advanced Health Care Directive. The form must be completed, signed by 2 witnesses who are not used as a Power of Attorney or as a Medical Power of Attorney, and the form must be signed and notorized. You can Google to find your State's form.

An Advanced Health Care Directive is a list of descriptive statements that outline a person's wishes for what medical care he or she wants---or does not want--- if the patient cannot speak for themselves. Most directives include questions about whether the person wants to have a breathing tube, be on a ventilator, have their heart shocked if the heart stops beating, whether the person wants food and fluid withheld if the person's condition indicates that death will inevitably occur.

Most forms also contain 1 or 2 pages about whether the person wants to donate the body to medical science, or wants to donate organs after death.

The Advanced Health Care Directive is a semi-legal document. In many States, the family can still over-ride the patient's wishes for end of life care (in PA no one can over-ride a decision to donate organs).

Although many people think an Advanced Health Care Directive is only needed by old people, it's important for everyone to consider filling out the form. Accidents can occur in a second. "Life" and "Death" are often only separated by a few minutes when vital decisions must be made by medical professionals. So, every adult should put his / her wishes on the form and get it completed, just in case you'd not be able to speak for yourself.