Anyone 18 years old and older is at risk unless you have taken the steps of signing the forms to protect you if you are ever unable to make your own health care decisions.
" When I got sick and was away at school, my mother was able to get information because I carried a form with me that she is my medical power of attorney"
Step 1: Complete Your Advance Directives
WHAT ARE ADVANCE DIRECTIVES?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition: “A legal document (such as a living will) signed by a competent person to provide guidance for medical and health-care decisions (such as the termination of life support or organ donation) in the event the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Advance directives guide choices for doctors and caregivers if you're terminally ill, seriously injured, in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of life.”
WHAT KIND OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES ARE THERE?
Terms vary around the country but here are a few of the most common.
Living will — expresses your wishes ahead of time.
Healthcare Proxy, Healthcare Agent, Medical Power of Attorney or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare — These are documents that name a person who can make decisions for you in the situations described above.
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