{"id":2158,"date":"2023-09-22T21:33:13","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T21:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finalexodus.org\/EndOfLife\/?page_id=2158"},"modified":"2025-07-06T01:52:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T01:52:12","slug":"advance-directive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/finalexodus.org\/EndOfLife\/advance-directive\/","title":{"rendered":"Advance Directive"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Advance Directives<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cAn Advance Directive is only as strong as the\u00a0surrogate who enforces it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Final Exit Network newsletter Fall, 2020<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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SOME BASICS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Now that you have done extensive Planning<\/a>, it is time to get all that effort condensed into your advance directive.<\/p>\n

Advance Directives (ADs) are the legal way one goes about giving instructions to others for your health care when you can\u2019t speak for yourself.  The others, especially your designated agent, need to know what your decisions would likely be if you were able to speak out. Advance directives combine two prior documents, the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care. Some states still have these two.  Here the term Advance Directive or AD includes livings wills with power of attorney.<\/p>\n

Where does the term \u201cadvance directive\u201d come from?  The Supreme Court of the United States says we have a constitutional rightSome states have exceptions if the principal is pregnant.<\/span>
\n<\/span> to forego treatment, which includes stopping treatment.  State laws allow a person to:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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  1. express now what s\/he wants in the future, when s\/he can\u2019t speak for self, i.e., when capacity is lost. <\/li> \n
  2. give to someone authority to speak for her or him. So the word \u201cadvance\u201d means write or speak now for action later.<\/b><\/li> \n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    There are many forms of advance directives to chose from. Many states have statutory forms which can be found here<\/a>. Lawyers have forms.\u00a0 Hospitals have forms. Forms can be found on the internet. A few forms are mentioned in the Deep Dive<\/a> section and in the Resources\/Other Advance Directives<\/a> section.<\/p>

    This website has an Advance Directive form<\/a>, discussed below.<\/p>

    This website has two advance directive forms.\u00a0 The first is a general one that anyone can use.\u00a0 The second is directed specifically to people who have early-stage dementia.<\/p>

    Behind the options often are biases.\u00a0 There is only one bias that matters:\u00a0 yours. With your planning, you know what you want.\u00a0 So feel free to change any form to fit your wishes, or even start from scratch \u2013 without a form (but forms are easier, especially ones designed for your state).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    ELEMENTS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    It is recommended that your AD address the problem of getting dementia. If your AD form doesn’t cover it (the one here does) then a dementia supplement should be used.\u00a0 Whether you have it in the directive or the supplement, be sure to address dementia in your letter to your agent (see the list below of topics for the letter).<\/p>

    The form of directive discussed here doesn’t need a dementia supplement, as dementia is covered without mentioning the word “dementia” (Choice #5 at the bottom of page 2 of the directive); with this form you still need to address dementia in your letter.<\/p>

    Here are the elements found in most advance directive forms.\u00a0 You<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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