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Understanding Advanced Health Care Directives

by | Oct 9, 2020 | Health Care Directives | 0 comments

During serious illnesses, you may be unable to communicate your wishes. This is why an advanced healthcare directive is so important. It will dictate your wishes about medical treatment and is signed in advance to allow a doctor and other medical professionals to know your wishes during difficult times.

Types of advance directives

There are four types of advanced directives:

  1. Medical power of attorney: This authorizes someone to make medical decisions on your behalf when you become incapacitated. This can be a separate document or a portion of a durable power of attorney.
  2. Living will: This states your wishes about life support to keep you alive if you are permanently unconscious or terminally ill. This can also dictate if you would like to donate your organs after death.
  3. Do no resuscitate order: This directs that in the event of either respiratory or cardiac arrest your wishes of DNR to be honored. This means that if your heart stops beating or you stop breathing entirely, no medical services will be done to restart your breathing by emergency medical service. This is a medical documents that is arranged through your healthcare provider.
  4. Healthcare surrogate: This allows you to designate a person to make healthcare decision for you when you’re unable to. This can be in the form of a power of attorney/medical power of attorney, DNR order, or living will.

Call to Schedule a Consultation With a Kentucky Estate Planning Lawyer Today

If you are interested in learning more about advanced healthcare directives, it’s important that you call to schedule a consultation with a Kentucky estate planning attorney. At The Jaeger Firm, we help you to ensure that your wishes are met. To learn more about estate planning, contact The Jaeger Firm at 859-342-4500  and speak to one of our compassionate professionals.  We serve the cities of Erlanger, Edgewood, Union and surrounding Kenton County and Boone County communities. Ensure that your family knows what your wishes are concerning terminal illness and resuscitation with an advanced healthcare directive.