What are common forms of advance directives?

• A. Living will; durable power of attorney for health care; and appointment of a surrogate.
• B. Wills and trusts, unrelated to health care.
• C. Physician licensure documents.
• D. Medical school diplomas.

Answer: (A)

Advance directives are legal tools that let people guide their medical care if they can’t speak for themselves. The forms listed as common advance directives include a living will, which states what medical treatments you want or don’t want in certain situations; a durable power of attorney for health care (also called a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney), which names someone to make medical decisions for you when you’re unable to do so; and an appointment of a surrogate, which designates another person to serve as a decision-maker when no directive is in place. Together, these documents cover both expressing your treatment preferences and appointing someone to make decisions on your behalf.

Wills and trusts relate to distributing your property after death and aren’t about guiding medical decisions while you’re alive. Physician licensure documents and medical school diplomas are credentials, not directives about future medical care.