Q - Where can I get the forms to complete an Advance Directive?
A - Examples of an Advance Directive can be obtained from your physician, hospital or from local groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons, the local Bar Association or County Area Agency on Aging offices. Asample of Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions is included in the back of the patient handbook.
Q - Must I have a lawyer to write a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions?
A - No, However, if you want a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions, there are some legal rules that a lawyer will know best how to handle.
Q - What should I put into my Advance Directive?
A - The most important thing is to express your wishes or give permission to your Durable Power of Attorney to make decisions for you should you become incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself. You may also wish to indicate your wishes regarding organ and tissue donation.
Q - May I name certain treatments that I do not want?
A - If you want to name certain treatments that you would not want, you may do so. For example, one treatment that is very important for you to make your wishes known about is feeding tubes (see glossary terms).
Q - Where should I keep my Advance Directives and who should know about it?
A - Give a copy of your Advance Directives to your family physician, lawyer, family, and to those people you have named to make decisions for you if you are unable to make them.
Q - Do I need an Advance Directive now?
A - No. You do not have to sign an Advance Directive to be admitted to the hospital or other healthcare facility.
Q - If I choose not to designate a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions, who makes treatment decisions for me?
A - As long as you are able, you and your physician together will decide about your care. If you are unable to communicate your wishes or to make decisions, your physician will discuss this with your family. If you have no family, a court order may be required to decide your care.
Q - I spend several months a year in one state and several months in another. Do I need an Advance Directive for each state?
A - You should know the law in each state in which you reside. It may be necessary to have more than one Advance Directive to meet the legal rules in each state.
Q - What if my physician does not want to follow my Advance Directive?
A - It is very important that you talk to your physician about this concern while you are able to do so. If he or she indicates a problem in following your wishes, you have the right to change physicians.
Q - What if a person I name to make decisions for me dies before I do?
A - It is always a good idea to name a second person to make decisions in case your first choice is not available, for whatever reason.
Where to Go For More Information About Advance Directives
In addition to a lawyer, your nurse or the unit/floor's nurse manager, the Social Work Department or the Hospital's Patient Representative are resources to assist you. There are many individuals and groups that can provide you with more information about Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions including:
Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
You will find your community AAA phone number in the blue
pages of your phone book.
Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsmen,
Department of Aging
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1919
(717) 783-7247
Pennsylvania Council on Aging
555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1919
(717) 783-1924
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
225 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 238-2277
The Pennsylvania Medical Society Division of Communication
and Public Affairs
707 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8820
(717) 558-7750