Understanding The Importance of Preparing Advance Directives in Arizona

The moments we need our advance directives are rarely planned. In case of illness, injury, or mental incapacity, an advance directive (also known as a “Living Will”) legally guides your loved ones and healthcare providers through your desired healthcare preferences when you cannot communicate decisions for yourself. Without a living will and other advance directives, decisions about your healthcare can become significantly more challenging and stressful for your family, who may be unsure about what you would have wanted. The benefits of having these documents in place include:

• Clarity: You can clearly communicate your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment, organ donation, and other critical healthcare decisions.
• Peace of Mind: You provide peace of mind for yourself and loved ones knowing that your healthcare choices are documented.
• Reduced Family Burden: You help alleviate the emotional and psychological burden on family members who might otherwise have to make these difficult decisions on your behalf.

Effective advanced directives clearly articulate your preferences for medical treatment under various circumstances, such as the type of medical care you wish to receive or avoid, particularly in scenarios involving terminal illness, permanent unconsciousness, or other severe conditions where recovery is unlikely. You can also provide instructions for pain management and comfort care, emphasizing the importance of quality of life in your care decisions.

Discussing, sharing, documenting your wishes ensures that you stay in control of your care, giving you peace of mind, and relieving your loved ones and healthcare professionals from making decisions for you. Considering what to include in your Living Will can evoke a range of emotions and questions, so you should not be rushed through the process. It’s uncomfortable, because it asks us to contemplate the most difficult moments of our lives—and imagine a time when you can no longer make decisions for yourself.

At PayneLess Law in Phoenix, we work personally with you to create documents that reflect your personal choices. We want to provide you with the peace of mind by simplifying the complexities and enabling your voice to be heard when it matters most.

Understanding Advance Directives and Living Wills

Several documents make up a complete end of life healthcare decision plan.  These documents include:

• Living Wills: Focusing specifically on end-of-life care, a living will details your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments, including resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and artificial nutrition and hydration.
• Health Care Power of Attorney: This document identifies and authorizes the trusted person or persons you select who will make healthcare decisions on your behalf when you are incapacitated.
• Mental Health Care Power of Attorney: Like a healthcare power of attorney, this document enables your designated agent to make mental health care decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, such as receiving mental healthcare treatment or admittance to a memory care or behavioral health facility.

Before meeting PayneLess Law, it is a good idea to spend some time thinking about what is most important to you in terms of quality of life and healthcare and whom do you trust to honor your preferences. Select someone who understands your values and will make decisions that align with your wishes.