California Advanced Health Care Directives

By preparing Advance Health Care Directives, our law firm will help ensure that your desires for personal decisions about medical care are taken in the event you are unable to make them for yourself. Contact us today and we will help you create an Advanced Healthcare Directive & Authorization.

What is an Advance Health Care Directive?

An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) is a vital document to a complete effective Estate Plan. It is essentially a power of attorney, but for medical decisions. In an Advance Health Care Directive, you appoint a person of your choosing to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. You should have one to two back-ups and these individuals serve in the order in which you have named them.

Why is an Advance Directive Important?

Planning ahead with an Advanced Health Care Directive can give your caregiver, family members, and loved ones peace of mind when it comes to making decisions about your future health care. It outlines what is important to you and what is not.

Myths about Advance Health Care Directives

Myth: Advance Directive means “Do not treat.”

Fact: It can express both the treatment you want and that which you don’t. Even if you don’t want treatment to cure you, you should always be kept reasonably pain free and comfortable.

 

Myth: Advance directives are only for old people.

Fact: Younger adults have more at stake, because if stricken by disease or accident, medical technology may keep them alive but comatose/insentient for decades. Every person age 18 or over should prepare a directive.

 

Myth: An Advanced Health Care Directive is a must to stop treatment near the end of life.

Fact: Treatment can be stopped without an advance directive if everyone involved agrees.