Medical directives reflect your choices regarding future medical treatment; or identify someone to make medical decisions on your behalf. The two most common forms of directives are: 1) a Living Will; and 2) a Medical Power of Attorney.
Before drafting a Living Will and/or Medical Power of Attorney, be sure to consult family members and friends. Discuss specific details concerning future medical care with your family, your doctor, your lawyer and close friends.
Your Living Will and your Medical Power of Attorney only take effect when you are unable to make your own health care decisions. And, you can change or cancel your Living Will and/or Medical Power of Attorney at any time.
Keep your Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney together, and store them in a safe/secure place. Do NOT store the originals in a safe deposit box, and do not store the originals in a "secret" place! Give copies of the documents to family members, close friends, your doctor, your lawyer, and any hospital or nursing home in which you may be residing.
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