Anyone of us may wind up unable to make decisions about our health care.

An advance directive is a document that speaks for you if you are unable to make your wishes known and helps to make sure that your religious and personal beliefs will be respected.

You do not need a lawyer to write an advance directive which sometimes maybe referred to as a living will.

Although there is no standard format a directive should include information on who to contact and who not to contact, the type of medical treatment you are consenting to and the type of treatment you are refusing. It is useful to note that you cannot refuse basic care and you may not request for someone to assist you in suicide.

Some of the advantages of preparing an advance directive maybe the discussions that occur regarding your end of life wishes. They have the potential to provide direction regarding treatment decisions if you are no longer able to decide for yourself. The purpose of an advance directive is to ensure that the will of the author is being met and respected.

Some of the disadvantages that have been noted are that the person may change their mind about what they want when they are unwell. A healthy person may not make the same choices as a sick person. Some directives may be difficult to interpret in the real world with the current directive scenario not matching the current medical scenario and for some people discussions about advance directives may provoke anxiety, particularly if not sensitively handled. There is also the issue of where to store the directive so that it would be available at the appropriate time.

Some useful information

Hard Choices for Loving People