Use your state’s advance directive form to declare your end-of-life care wishes so you get the medical treatment you want if you’re unable to communicate with your doctor.
Updated November 8, 2023
Written by Sara Hostelley | Reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.
Advance directives are end-of-life planning documents that establish your healthcare wishes if you’re incapacitated and can’t make your own decisions.
You can use an advance directive to explain to medical professionals what treatment you want to receive in an emergency or if you can’t speak for yourself. You can also use them to ensure loved ones make the right medical decisions on your behalf.
Click to expand the table and find your state’s advance directive forms and requirements.
An advance directive or an advance healthcare directive is a legal document that tells healthcare professionals and loved ones what medical treatment you want (or don’t want) to receive if you’re dying or unconscious and can’t communicate your desires for future medical care.
Because laws vary across the U.S., each state has its format and definition for advance directives. Depending on where you live, you may need a single form or a combination of forms to express your wishes.
If you fall into a coma, develop dementia, become terminally ill, or obtain a debilitating injury, an advance directive can help ensure your wishes regarding the following healthcare choices:
An advance directive is a broad term for a document that dictates your healthcare decisions.
The following individual forms are examples of different types of advance directives. Your state may have one hybrid document that includes several of these forms, or you may need to fill them out separately.
A living will is a document that explains your treatment decisions if you fall into a coma or are unresponsive (such as how to prolong your life or manage pain). It usually occurs when there’s a low chance of recovery [1] .
You write this form while you’re still able to communicate your wishes. Healthcare professionals will try to follow it as closely as possible if you become incapacitated.
One difference between an advance directive and a living will is that, in some states, the living will is a standalone document. And in other states, it’s part of an advance directive.
A medical power of attorney form lets you appoint an “agent” or “attorney-in-fact” to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot.
The living will part of an advance directive concerns the treatment you want, but a health care power of attorney gives someone the authority to make additional decisions for you. An MPOA can be helpful if a complex medical situation arises and you aren’t able to state your preferences beforehand.
A do not resuscitate (DNR) form may be part of an advance directive. It tells healthcare providers to withhold life-sustaining treatment and not try to keep you alive.
For example, you may request that emergency medical personnel not use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or an automated external defibrillator (AED) to keep blood flowing to your brain or restart your heart.
As you’re participating in advance care planning, you can explore other end-of-life forms to increase the chances of your wishes being fulfilled after your passing.
Anyone who wants to control and have peace of mind over their future healthcare decisions can benefit from creating an advance directive. This document can alleviate stress and confusion among healthcare professionals and your loved ones.
Consider creating an advance healthcare directive if you are:
As long as you’re 18, you’re never too young or healthy to create an advance directive.
Not always. Your medical team and your attorney-in-fact will do their best to respect your wishes. However, it may not always be possible. You may be in a complex or unforeseen medical situation that requires your healthcare team to take a different approach than what you outlined in your advance directive.
If your advance directive wishes to go against generally accepted medical practices, the institution’s protocols, or the healthcare provider’s conscience, you may receive medical care other than what you requested.
Note that federal law protects patients’ right to self-determination when possible through the 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act [2] .
The first part of an advance directive is the declaration. Fill out your name to declare that the document explains your wishes if you can’t speak for yourself. Confirm you’re currently of sound mind and legal age.
Review the definitions of medical terms and phrases the document will use. This will help you ensure you understand the powers you’re granting and the decisions you’re making.
Whether you’re filling out a hybrid advance directive form or separate ones, you must assign medical power of attorney as part of your advance directive and choose an agent to act on your behalf.
On this part of the advance directive form, please fill out your agent’s contact information and make additional comments about which powers you do or don’t want them to have. Ensure your appointed healthcare agent is someone you can trust, such as a family member, as they must make crucial decisions in times of great stress, sadness, and uncertainty.
On the living will part of the advance directive, initial your preferences next to the healthcare you want to receive if you are diagnosed with a terminal condition or fall into a permanently unconscious state.
You’ll need to choose whether you wish to receive life-sustaining treatments, artificial nutrition, and hydration. You may indicate if you prefer your agent to decide based on the circumstances.
You can also state your preference regarding relief from pain and any other wishes.
You can choose whether to donate your organs in the event of your death and, if you do, for what purpose (such as therapy, transplant, research, or education).
You can also state that you do not wish to donate your organs or authorize your agent to decide.
Many advance directives allow you to detail what arrangements you want in place upon your death, such as if you want your body to be interred or cremated. You can also indicate that you want your agent to handle these arrangements.
Provide your primary physician’s name, address, and telephone number. Naming a primary physician can help ensure someone familiar with your situation promotes continuity with your care.
After completing all sections of your advance directive form, sign your name. Depending on your state’s execution requirements, you may also need signatures from your agent, several witnesses, and a notary public to legally bind the form.
After completing your advance directive form, store it in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box. You should also notify your healthcare provider and provide copies to your agent, primary care physician, hospital, trusted individuals, and anyone named in the directive.
Once you’ve created an advance directive, it isn’t set in stone. Your opinions and values regarding future healthcare needs could change, so you can modify your plans to reflect these changes. You must complete a new advance directive to reflect the changes and meet the proper signing or notarization requirements.
You should reassess and consider changes to your advance healthcare directive anytime one of the following “Five Ds” occurs:
| Diagnosis | When you are diagnosed with a serious or grave health condition |
| Decline | When you experience a significant deterioration or decline in health |
| Death | Whenever you experience the passing of a loved one |
| Divorce | When you experience a divorce or other significant family change |
| Decade | When you enter a new decade of your life |
While no states require individuals to have advance directives, you may face severe consequences without one. Consider some of the consequences of not having an advance directive:
Download an advance directive form in PDF or Word format:
