Make Your Wishes Known. Protect Your Voice In Critical Moments.

An advanced medical directive is a document that outlines one’s wishes for their own healthcare and medical treatment in the event of incapacity, and is executed in conjunction with a medical power of attorney, which names an individual to make decisions regarding healthcare and medical treatment upon one’s incapacity.

A living will outlines one’s desires for their own healthcare and medical treatment upon their incapacity, and a medical power of attorney names an individual to actually make one’s medical decisions upon their incapacity. Essentially, the living will outlines your desires for medical treatment, and the medical power of attorney names an individual to make your medical decisions in accordance with your living will.

A DNR provision is typically included within a “living will” or advanced medical directive document.

Yes, you can make changes to your healthcare directive later, so long as you are still mentally competent to do so.

You do not need a lawyer to create a healthcare directive. However, it may be wise to consult with an attorney in preparing your healthcare directive if you have complex healthcare needs, as well as to ensure that it is properly executed in accordance with the laws of Virginia.

In a safe place – ideally with the rest of your estate planning documents, passwords, and other important documents – such as a fireproof box, safe, or safe deposit box. We typically recommend also providing a copy to whomever is named as one’s agent in their advanced healthcare directive.