Learn all you can about advance health care directives before you begin. Know your rights and the laws about advance directives in your state. You may wish to look into one or more of the resources listed in the next section.

• Discuss your decisions and wishes with your spouse or partner, family members, close friends, your doctor, and/or your attorney. Telling those close to you about your end-of-life decisions will help ensure that your wishes are carried out.

• Decide what you want, such as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care, and/or other advance health care instructions. Understand the meaning of each and the differences between them.

• Decide what you want your advance directive to say. Be specific about such things as CPR, artificial respiration, medicines to make your heart work, kidney dialysis, artificial feeding (tube or intravenous), and certain surgical procedures.

• If you need help writing an advance directive, contact one of the resources listed below or an attorney. You do not have to use an attorney to write an advance directive. An attorney may be the person who knows the most about the laws in your state, but only you can make the decisions about your future care.

• Decide who you want as your health care proxy or agent (decision-maker). This is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Choose this person carefully. Pick someone you believe will be able to carry out your wishes even if they include DNR or denying other life-sustaining treatments. Talk with the person to be sure they're OK with doing this for you and that they can understand your wishes.

• Have one or more witnesses sign your advance directive (or whatever is required in your state). Give a copy of your advance directive to your health care proxy and ask him or her to keep it in a safe place where it can be found quickly if needed. Be sure that family members who are likely to be nearby have copies, and that they know who your proxy is.

• Keep a copy of your advance directive in a handy, easy-to-find place so that someone else can find it if you are in the hospital and need it. Make sure that someone close to you knows where your advance directive is kept. Do not lock it in a safe-deposit box, home safe, or filing cabinet that only you can open. Be sure it is clearly marked. You may also want to give a copy to your attorney, and be sure your family knows exactly who has it.

• Every once in a while, talk to your health care proxy about your advance directive in order to remind him or her of this important responsibility. If your wishes change, be sure to talk this over with your proxy, your loved ones, and your doctors.

Last Medical Review: 06/15/2009
Last Revised: 06/15/2009