Services
Advance Medical
Directives
What is an
advance directive?
An advance directive protects your healthcare
wishes. It allows your wishes to be respected if you become unable to make
decisions for yourself. It outlines the medical treatment you would want
or names a representative of your choice to make the decision for you.
There are two choices: a Power of Attorney for Health Care or a Living
Will.
What it a Durable Power
of Attorney for Healthy Care?
It is a document that allows you to name another
person to make medical decisions for you. It goes into effect only if you
are unable to make that decision for yourself.
What
is a Living Will?
It is a document that allows you to select which
medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life. This
document also only goes into effect if you are no longer able to make your own
decisions.
You can state whether you would want
interventions such as CPR, a respirator, tube feeding, kidney dialysis, hospice
care, or no treatments.
Most advance directives contain
a section about organ donation where you can express your wishes as to whether
or not you want to donate your organs upon death.
Where
can I get help with advance directives?
You can work with an attorney of your choice to draw
up your Advance Directives. To see an example of Advance Directive forms
visit: www.caringinfo.org/files/public/southdakota.pdf
What
should I consider in making the document?
Discuss your wishes with your family and involve them
in the creation of the document. Often, it is your family that will be
approached about decision-making and will need to know what your wishes are.
Make
copies of the document. Give a copy to your doctor, the local hospital,
your home care agency, your dialysis unit, your family or agent, and keep a copy
for yourself. Know that you can change or revoke your advance
directive. You should review it regularly to ensure it still reflects your
current wishes. Remember to destroy all copies of the old directive and
give new copies to your healthcare providers and family.
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