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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.

A copy of your advance directives should be in your file and medical record. Your hospital chart. If you are in the hospital, ask to have a copy of your advance directives put in your chart. (Your health care agent or a family member should do so if you are unable to do it.)

The most common types of advance directives are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care (sometimes known as the medical power of attorney).

Problems with Advance Directives Sometimes, people change their minds after expressing advance directives and forget to inform others. Many times, advance directives are too vague to guide clinical decisions.

Types of advance directives Living will. A living will is a document that lets you outline your end-of-life care preferences. ... Medical power of attorney (POA) ... Advance healthcare directive. ... Psychiatric advance directives.

To make valid in California, your Advance Directive must be signed by two witnesses, OR acknowledged before a Notary Public. An Advance Directive lets you have a say about how you want to be treated if you get very sick.

-In addition, patient's have a right to have advance directives, such as a living will and durable power of attorney for health care.

Advance directives consist of (1) a living will and (2) a medical (healthcare) power of attorney. A living will describes your wishes regarding medical care. With a medical power of attorney you can appoint a person to make healthcare decisions for you in case you are unable to speak for yourself.

Advance directives need to be in writing. Each state has different forms and requirements for creating legal documents. Depending on where you live, a form may need to be signed by a witness or notarized. You can ask a lawyer to help you with the process, but it is generally not necessary.

To make a valid 'Advance care directive', you must include your full name, date of birth and address. A phone number is optional. This information provides context for your medical treatment decision maker and your health practitioner(s) about your health when you wrote this directive.