If you have already crafted an estate plan in Minnesota, chances are that you have a will and may have already appointed someone to act as your power of attorney for finance and healthcare. Even if you have appointed someone to make healthcare decisions for you, it may still be a good idea to create a healthcare advance directive.
What is an advance healthcare directive?
An advance care directive is an estate planning document that instructs your doctors and caregivers what type of care you want to receive if you are unable to make your own decisions.
A healthcare power of attorney document gives your agent parameters for your care. An advance directive is a legally binding document that outlines your wishes for life support, resuscitation and other interventions. Having an advance directive in place means that your loved ones won’t have to guess about your final wishes. By making your choices known, you’ll make them feel more comfortable.
Types of advance directives
The two major types of advance directives are living wills and a power of attorney for healthcare. However, unless you stipulate specific wishes within the healthcare power of attorney, you risk not having your final wishes met. A living will tells your family what medical treatments you want or do not want under certain conditions. It only takes effect if you are unlikely to regain the ability to make decisions.
When should I create an advance directive?
Some people create an advance healthcare directive as soon as they begin the estate planning process while others wait until they have a severe illness. Keep in mind that an advance healthcare directive is separate from a do not resuscitate (DNR) order, which indicates that you do not want to be resuscitated if cardiac or respiratory arrest occurs.
Carefully consider the wording of your advance directive along with the person you designate to act as your agent. As with other estate planning documents, review them periodically for accuracy. You can change the contents of these documents as many times as you want to reflect your current wishes.
