Navigating the complexities of healthcare decisions as you age or face serious health issues can be daunting. To ensure that your healthcare preferences are respected, it’s crucial to have advanced directives in place. In San Diego, as elsewhere, these legal tools provide a clear guide to your healthcare providers and loved ones about your wishes, should you become unable to communicate them yourself. Here’s how you can set up advanced directives to ensure your healthcare wishes are followed accurately.
Understanding Advanced Directives
Advanced directives are legal documents that articulate your preferences for medical treatment. They come into play if you’re incapacitated or otherwise unable to express your healthcare wishes. In California, the principal forms of advanced directives include:
- Living Will: Specifies the types of medical treatment you want—or do not want—under certain medical conditions.
- Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare: Appoints someone you trust (a healthcare proxy) to make decisions about your healthcare if you cannot do so yourself.
- Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST): A form designed for those with serious illnesses, specifying the extent of treatment you want to receive.
Steps to Ensure Your Healthcare Wishes Are Followed
- Determine Your Preferences: Reflect on what kinds of medical treatment you would or would not want in situations where recovery is unlikely. Consider your values and how they relate to end-of-life care, life support, resuscitation, and pain management.
- Consult Healthcare Professionals: Speak with your doctor or a healthcare advisor to understand possible health scenarios and treatment options. This can help clarify what directives should be included in your planning.
- Choose a Healthcare Proxy Wisely: Select someone who understands your values and whom you trust to make decisions in line with your wishes. Discuss your decisions with this person to ensure they are comfortable and willing to act as your proxy.
- Legally Draft Your Directives: Work with an estate planning attorney to draft your advanced directives. An attorney can ensure that your documents are clear, valid, and compliant with California law. At Allenby Law, we specialize in drafting precise and personalized advanced directives that reflect your specific wishes.
- Distribute Copies: Provide copies of your advanced directives to your healthcare proxy, family members, primary care physician, and any healthcare facilities you frequently visit. This ensures that the relevant parties are aware of your wishes and can access these documents when needed.
- Review and Update Regularly: Review your advanced directives periodically and after any major health diagnosis or change in your personal circumstances. This ensures that the directives always reflect your current wishes.
Advanced directives are a critical component of your healthcare planning, ensuring that your medical preferences are respected and followed when you cannot voice them yourself. By setting up comprehensive advanced directives, you not only safeguard your healthcare wishes but also provide clarity and peace of mind to your family and medical providers. At Allenby Law, we understand the importance of these directives and are here to help you navigate the process with empathy and expertise. Contact us to ensure your healthcare wishes are clearly articulated and legally protected.
