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Advance Health Care Directive
An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) is a document that instructs others about your care should you be unable to make decisions on your own. It only becomes effective under the circumstances outlined in the document. In general, an Advance Health Care Directive will allow for either, or both, of the following:
- The AHCD allows you to appoint a health care agent (also known as “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care” or “attorney-in-fact”), who will have the legal authority to make health care decisions for you if you are no longer able to speak for yourself. This is typically a spouse, but can be another family member, close friend, or anyone else you feel will see that your wishes and expectations are met. The individual named will have authority to make decisions regarding artificial nutrition and hydration and any other measures that prolong life—or not.
- The AHCD allows you to make specific written instructions for your future health care in the event of any situation in which you can no longer speak for yourself.
The Advance Health Care Directive provides a clear statement of wishes about your choice to prolong your life or to withhold or withdraw treatment. You can also choose to request relief from pain even if doing so hastens death. A standard advance directive form provides room to state additional wishes and directions and allows you to leave instructions about organ donations.
