For some people, estate planning is primarily about the protection of beneficiaries. They want to leave resources for their spouses and children or name someone they trust to administer their estate. For others, concerns about their own medical vulnerability might inspire them to draft documents. Estate plans often begin with testamentary documents, such as a will. From there, people may establish other documents to protect them in the event of an emergency.
Advance directives are often particularly beneficial for young adults without spouses, newly divorced individuals, older adults and those dealing with serious medical challenges. What concerns can people address when they create advance directives?
The need for a medical agent
There are two documents that serve as the primary advance directives in most cases. Health care powers of attorney are arguably the most common advance directives drafted. Health care powers of attorney allow an adult to designate another person to serve as their agent in the event of an emergency. Their chosen medical agent can talk to healthcare professionals about their condition and make decisions about their treatment that align with their personal values.
Specific medical preferences
The other document drafted as an advanced directive by many adults is a living will. Living wills generally only take effect in scenarios when an individual becomes incapacitated and cannot communicate their medical preferences effectively anymore. Two physicians must agree the individual has become incapacitated or faces a terminal condition.
With a living will, the principal who drafted the documents can discuss their preferences for various types of medical care, including resuscitation, life support, medical assistance for respiration, the delivery of nutrition and even pain management. A living will can help guide the medical professionals providing care in scenarios where a medical agent is not immediately available. In some cases, people also execute Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders when they prefer not to receive significant medical interventions.
The creation of thorough advance directives as part of an estate plan can help prevent scenarios in which people undergo care that they would prefer not to receive given their medical state or their personal beliefs. Adding advance directives to an estate plan can be a good move for those worried about their health or the interventions they might receive in a medical emergency.