The Basics:

An Advance Health Care Directive is a document that you sign giving someone else permission to talk to doctors, sign medical forms and make medical decisions for you.
If you want to be appointed as an agent under an Advance Health Care Directive for someone, you cannot fill out the form. It must be signed by the person doing the appointing.

Example:

Someone appointed as your agent under an Advance Health Care Directive can talk to doctors, sign medical forms and make medical decisions for you.

You can sign an Advance Health Care Directive, IF;

1. You are at least 18 years of age.
2. You are the person appointing someone to act for you.

An Advance Health Care Directive requires:

• Filling out the form with the name, address and phone number of who you want to appoint.
• Giving instructions as to your wishes for medical treatment, including end-of-life decisions.
• Printing and signing the document in front of a notary public.

Some reasons people sign an Advance Health Care Directive include:

1. To have something in place in case you are injured or become too sick to take care of your own medical decisions;
2. To allow someone to talk to doctors, sign medical forms and make medical decisions for you that you cannot make yourself;
3. To give instructions as to your desired medical treatment including end-of-life decisions;
4. To allow someone to sign a document for you that you cannot do yourself; and
5. To avoid your family or friends having to go to Court to get someone appointed