What is an Advance Health Care Directive?

An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD), provides vital information to your loved ones and health care provider about your medical preferences. In addition, an AHCD appoints one or more people who will be responsible for making medical decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. An Advance Healthcare Directive in the State of California, involves establishing a Living Will and declaring a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

Creating an AHCD ensures that your health care wishes will be followed if you are unable to make the decisions on your own. This document is not only for senior citizens, people of all ages should prepare an AHCD because life can be unpredictable and it’s never a bad idea to make an official record of your health care wishes.

Abrate & Olsen Law Group is here to guide you through creating an AHCD and ensuring your requests are accurately and legally documented for the future. Continue reading to learn more about the value of creating an AHCD.

Reduces Conflict

If you become incapacitated or are unable to make health care decisions for your self, your loved ones may disagree about what medical route to take. It will be a stressful time which may lead to arguments and time-consuming debates regarding the best medical plan of action. In creating an AHCD, you are taking away the cause for debate. Your AHCD clearly outlines your health care wishes and will provide everything your loved ones need to make decisions for you.

Being faced with serious medical decisions such as Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders are difficult, but creating an AHCD can prevent stress and conflict amongst loved ones.

Having Control

An Advance Healthcare Directive,(AHCD) will give you control over your health care even if you become incapacitated. Without an AHCD present, your health care providers and loved ones will be left to wonder what you would have wanted, and they may not come up with the correct answer.

Without an AHCD your loved ones could become locked in a disagreement over your health care decisions. When this happens, a probate court is forced to get involved and appoint a conservator to make your decisions. Once a probate court takes over, privacy is lost because all court proceedings regarding a conservatorship are public. Establishing an AHCD is important because without one, a Probate Court might gain control of your health care.

Low Cost

Establishing an AHCD is simple and affordable. Each state has different forms that you can easily find online, including the State of California. Please check out our How to create an Advance Health Care Directive in California blog for further information. Consulting a qualified, Estate Panning Attorney, like Abrate & Olsen Law Group, can assure that your medical care is determined while you are fully cognizant and mentally aware.

“Outstanding services! I appreciate all the hard work that Abrate & Olsen has done for my family and I. Finding the perfect estate planning attorneys in Sacramento was easier than I thought! They were very understanding of my family’s situation and set out the best options and suggestions for us. Creating an advance directive was simple! I couldn’t be happier with choosing this law firm. Highly recommend!”
~ Rachel S. – Sacramento, CA