ADVANCE DIRECTIVES KINDS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVE WHY AN

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES KINDS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVE

WHY AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE • • TO EXTEND THE AUTHORITY OF THE PATIENT BEYOND THE ONSET OF DECISIONAL INCAPACITY TO EXPRESS CLEARLY THE WISHES OF THE PATIENT SO THEY WILL BE HONORED BY CAREGIVERS, FAMILIES, AND OTHERS – TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF ANOTHER’S AGENDA • ARBITRARY DECISIONS PATIENT WOULD NOT WANT • DECISIONS MADE OUT OF GUILT OR FEAR • PRESSURE FROM SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS • PROTRACTED OR UNDESIRABLE COURT DECISIONS TO AVOID THE NECESSITY OF GOING TO COURT --- OFTEN INAPPROPRIATE DECISIONS CONSERVE RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY WHEN FURTHER TREATMENT IS FUTILE

KINDS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES UNWRITTEN • INFORMAL STATEMENTS MADE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS – INEFFECTIVE IN CASES OF CONFLICT • STATEMENTS MADE TO PHYSICIANS WHICH ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE PATIENT’S CHART – SAME STATUS AS WRITTEN ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

KINDS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES WRITTEN LIVING WILL DECLARATIONS • A DOCUMENT WRITTEN AND/OR SIGNED BY INDIVIDUALS WHILE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE WHICH ORDINARILY DIRECTS THEIR PHYSICIANS TO USE RESTRAINT IN EMPLOYING AGGRESSIVE TREATMENTS TO PROLONG THEIR LIVES IF THEY ARE IN A TERMINAL OR IRREVERSIBLE CONDITION AND UNABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN BEHALF AT THE TIME THE TREATMENTS ARE BEING CONSIDERED.

KINDS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES APPOINTMENT OF AN ATTORNEY-IN-FACT IN A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTHCARE • A DOCUMENT SIGNED BY INDIVIDUALS WHILE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE DESIGNATING A PERSON WHO WILL HAVE AUTHORITY TO MAKE HEALTHCARE DECISIONS FOR THEM IN THE EVENT THAT THEY MIGHT BECOME INCAPABLE OF MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AT THE TIME THEY ARE BEING CONSIDERED. – IMPORTANCE OF TRUST