Make Your Wishes Known: Preparing an Advanced Health Care Directive

Most of us know what we want for ourselves when the time comes to making decisions about our medical care but the question is, do our family and friends know?

One way we can protect our right to self-determination is to prepare an Advanced Health Care Directive (AHCD). An AHCD is a legal document that clearly states a person’s health care decisions and preferences in advance of needing such care or treatment.

Preparing an AHCD can be a little uncomfortable as it requires people to consider their own mortality and what type of lifesaving and life-sustaining measures they might want in the event of an accident, illness or disease. But what can be even more uncomfortable is being unprepared and placing the burden of those decisions on a family member or friend who may not know what to do.

One of the most common forms of an AHCD is a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOAHC) and it only takes effect when a person becomes incapacitated due to physical or cognitive impairment. This determination is usually made by a physician or medical team. A DPOAHC does two things: 1) designates a person who will be responsible for making health care decisions when you are unable to, and 2) specifies the type of care and treatment you want for yourself. In most cases, a DPOAHC does not have to be notarized but must be signed by at least two adult witnesses.

Other types of AHCDs are living wills, pre-hospitalization DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) forms and POLSTS (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment). You can speak with your primary care physician about these types of AHCDs.

Not only are the choices you make about your care important, but who you choose to be your designee is also a big decision. It is advisable you ask someone who can best represent your wishes when you are unable to do so. It’s also important to select an alternate person in the event your designee is unavailable during your time of need. Keep your AHCD in a safe place where family or friends can find it. Also make sure to give copies to your designee(s) and your primary care physician. Advanced health care directives can be changed or revoked at any time and should be reviewed periodically.

Online forms and instructions for preparing a DPOAHC are available through the California Office of Attorney General at https://oag.ca.gov. If you’d like more in-depth information about Advanced Health Care Directives, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and the YMCA of the Foothills are hosting a workshop that will cover this topic, as well as planned giving, on Tuesday, July 19 at the Crescenta Cañada YMCA, 1930 Foothill Blvd., from noon to 1 p.m. with lunch served prior.

RSVP by calling (818) 583-4731.