You may think advance directives and living wills are only a good idea if you’re old or sick. Unfortunately, life can take unexpected turns at any point, sometimes for the worse.
No one – regardless of age – is invincible. An unexpected health crisis or accident can turn your life upside down in a matter of seconds. And if you can’t speak for yourself, you’re at the mercy of a medical team who has to make their best guess about how far to go with your treatment.
Advance directives can fix that.
They’re legal documents that let you record the type of treatment you do and don’t want. For example, some people want to stay alive at all costs. Others aren’t keen at the thought of depending on tubes, wires and medical equipment to keep them going indefinitely.
Advance directives won’t change your medical treatment when you can speak for yourself. They only go into effect when you can’t communicate.
To be prepared for an emergency, that hopefully will never come, follow these five steps to help you get the care you want:
- Talk it over with your doctor. Doctors are knowledgeable about end-of-life care, and they can explain your options. It usually won’t cost you a dime either, since advance care planning conversations during normal visits are considered free preventive care by your insurance company.
- Complete a form. There are different types of advance directives including living wills, power of attorney for health care and do-not-resuscitate orders. In Michigan, your best choice is a durable power of attorney for health care (living wills aren’t recognized under Michigan statutes). You can get the form from your lawyer, a social worker or online.
- Choose a patient advocate. You’ll need to name someone, usually a family member or close friend, to make decisions if and when you can’t speak for yourself. Make sure the person you choose is willing to take on this important role in the event it is necessary.
- Communicate your wishes. Keep a copy of your form for yourself, but also give copies to your doctor, to your patient advocate, to family members and to close friends.
- Use the Michigan Peace of Mind Registry. This free, voluntary service will keep a copy of your advance directive on file so doctors can get your information when they need it — even if you’re away from home during a medical crisis.
Creating an advance directive isn’t necessarily a fun way to spend your time and energy. But the peace of mind it creates is worth the effort.
