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Advance directives include legal documentation such as a living will, power of attorney and do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. The directive documents identify who will make decisions if the patient is unable to and who will be involved in their final care.

There are three main disadvantages to using a living will: Living wills have a limited scope; Living wills rely on physician compliance; Living wills are not always given to health care providers.

The two most common advance directives for health care are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care.

Your living will is used only if you can't speak or make decisions for yourself. Most often, one or more doctors must certify that you can't speak or decide for yourself before your living will takes effect. If you get better and can speak for yourself again, you can accept or refuse any treatment.

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.

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.

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.

A Living Will must be made in writing and witnessed by at least two adults. There are additional rules for witnessing and signing a Living Will. The witnesses must be adults who affirm that you are of sound mind and that signing the Living Will is your own choice. You cannot witness your own 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.

The most common statement in a living will is to the effect that: If I suffer an incurable, irreversible illness, disease, or condition and my attending physician determines that my condition is terminal, I direct that life-sustaining measures that would serve only to prolong my dying be withheld or discontinued.