Advance Health Care Directive
– Sacramento Estate Planning Attorneys –
What is an advance health care directive?
An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) or Advance Directive is a legal document that allows you to designate an “agent” for personal health care wishes and instructions if you become incapacitated or unable to make your own medical decisions. The information outlined in an Advance Healthcare Directive specifies to family members and medical professionals what actions should be taken related to your health care.
Creating an AHCD can save loved ones the stress of making health care decisions in a time of tragedy or grief, but Abrate & Olsen Law Group has the legal expertise to plan for the unexpected. The estate planning attorneys at Abrate & Olsen can provide guidance to establish an Advance Healthcare Directive, including a Living Will and a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney.
Health care decisions are difficult to make, but Abrate & Olsen Law Group has all the information needed to plan ahead of time!
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Who can become an Agent under AHCD?
Choosing your Agent is just as important as outlining your wishes and instructions under an AHCD. Your agent is the person responsible for making sure your wishes are followed in the event that you are unable to make your own medical decisions. A spouse or child over the age of 18 is typically the best choice to become your agent. Many believe that your agent must be a family member, but that is false, you can choose anyone you trust who is over the age of 18 and competent.
Abrate & Olsen suggests choosing someone who lives nearby in case they are called upon to guide your treatment over an extended period of time. The individual selected as your agent should be calm in times of crisis and be able to communicate effectively on your behalf to health care professionals. Take your time choosing your agent and make sure they understand all your wishes and instructions.
What medical decisions can an Agent make under an AHCD?
Your agent can make any and all medical decisions for you, as long as those decisions are in line with your AHCD and are medically appropriate. Your agent may not agree with your wishes, but they must respect and follow the instructions you provided. They only have the authority to make decisions that are in line with your AHCD.
Your AHCD can include instructions such as what kind of medical interventions you would like to help sustain your life, or where you would like to spend your last days. It is your agent’s duty to ensure that your AHCD is followed and to work on your behalf to honor your wishes. The only time your wishes may be rejected is if a a doctor considers your instructions to be medically inappropriate.
“At Abrate & Olsen Law Group, our Estate Planning Attorneys have our clients’ needs as a personal and professional priority. You and your family deserve the best in the business, and that’s what we deliver.”
My wife and I are happy to have found Abrate Olsen Law when we moved to Sacramento. We moved our family from Austin, Texas, so we needed to get everyone situated under California laws for our Estate Plan. We thought this process would be a pain, but it went smoothly! Mike was patient with us and answered all of our questions. Highly recommended for Estate Planning!– Michael D., Sacramento, CA
Related Articles
What to know when choosing an Attorney-in-Fact or Agent
An Attorney-in-Fact or also known as Agent is an appointed person who will make short or long-term business decisions on behalf of the Principal. The person who chooses the Attorney-in-Fact is referred to as the Principal.
How to create an Advance Health Care Directive in California
Are you prepared if you or a loved one becomes incapacitated and are unable to make medical decisions? An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) outlines personal health care wishes and instructions that could save loved ones the stress of making these tough decisions.
Why is creating an Advance Health Care Directive important?
If you have not created a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care, California has the two of the documents combined into one. The combined document is called an Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD).
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