What Is a Health Care Power of Attorney, a Living Will and an Advance Directive?

Each of these documents can make up a complete plan for health care decisions and end-of-life care.

A Health Care Power of attorney is a document where you can designate an agent to make medical decisions for you and give informed consent on your behalf if you are unable to give that consent yourself.

An Advance Directive, also sometimes called a Living Will, is a document where you can express your wishes for medical treatment and end-of-life care, which gives your Health Care agent, your family, and your physician an understanding of your wishes when you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious.

The lawyers at Northwest Elder Law Group can help you put your wishes in place both for handling your health care decision making as well as for expressing your wishes for medical treatment.