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Advance directives are legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes. The two most common advance directives for health care are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care.

Living will. A living will is a written, legal document that spells out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive, as well as your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. In determining your wishes, think about your values.

Types of Advance Directives The living will. Durable power of attorney for health care/Medical power of attorney. POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. Organ and tissue donation.

The requirements for Living Wills vary by state; however, in Minnesota, your document must be acknowledged by a notary public or signed by two witnesses. Only one of the witnesses to your Living Will can be your healthcare provider.

I understand that for this to be a legal document, I must complete: (1) Section A: My name and other information, (2) Section B: My health care agent and/or Section E: My health care instructions, and (3) Section G: Making the document legal.

Advance directives have limitations. For example, an older adult may not fully understand treatment options or recognize the consequences of certain choices in the future. Sometimes, people change their minds after expressing advance directives and forget to inform others.