Advance Health Care Directive

What is an Advance Health Care Directive?

An Advance Health Care Directive is important because it comes into play when you are incapacitated, such as a coma, or any other circumstance where you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Without an Advance Health Care Directive, the treating doctor will have to make medical choices for you. These choices could be the exact opposite of what you wish to happen. With an AHCD, if you do not want to be on life support for an extended period of time, your AHCD will allow the person of your choosing to inform the doctor that you do not want to be on life support. Without the AHCD, someone may choose to keep you on life support. The doctor must follow the directions placed in your AHCD.

At Griswold LaSalle, we include the creation and execution of an AHCD as part of our estate planning services. Our estate plans are designed to provide security for your legacy and to anticipate any problems as you move forward in your life. As such, our AHCD is designed to allow you to anticipate and provide guidance for future medical situations.

As we are going through the estate planning process, we will meet with you and go over your choices for the person you want to make any decisions you may not have included in your AHCD. Part of our responsibility is helping you pick the right person for the job. That person must make health care decisions as if they were you. Therefore, we will help you pick an agent who will understand your feelings on different treatments and medical situations if they are not directly addressed in your AHCD.

If you have any questions, or would like to set up an appointment to discuss an AHCD or other estate planning matters, please contact us.