Advanced Directive
Power of Attorney (POA)
Power of Attorney (POA)
Advanced directive is a catchall term that can includes different things. Setting up an advanced directive involves legally setting up a plan of action or plan of care in the event that you are incapable of making your own decisions. It often includes a living will and power of attorney. Currently only 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have an advanced directive (Yadav et al., 2017). NOT having an advanced directive can result in family distress and your healthcare wishes not being followed.
Power of Attorney (POA)
Power of Attorney (POA)
Power of Attorney (POA)
POA is when someone legally appoints someone to make their health and/or financial decisions if they themselves were to become incapacitated (unable to make their own decisions). If no POA is established, state law will determine who has final say over medical decisions. Establishing POA ensures your person of choice will speak for you in the event you cannot (Kellman, 2023).
Living Will
Power of Attorney (POA)
Living Will
Living wills are legal documents in which you make decisions about emergency medical care in advance, should you become unable to make your own decisions in the moment. These medical decisions include whether or not you want CPR, tube feeding, ventilators, and others (National Institute of Aging, 2022).