Advance Directives Presentation
by Dora Cagnetto
May 4, 2005

In Arizona, there are various legal documents to allow an individual to control their health care decisions. Known as "advance directives," they allow a person to give directions in advance of a medical issue about the type of care they would choose for themselves.

These documents also specify who is eligible to advocate for the individual, in the case where the person may not speak for themselves.

There are four types of advance directives: health care power of attorney, living will, pre-hospital medical care directive and mental health care power of attorney.

The health care power of attorney is the most comprehensive advance directive. This form gives an adult "agent" selected by the individual control over health care decisions, including consenting to or refusing any medical care.

There are specific formalities associated with signing this document in order to prevent use of the directive by the agent for an improper purpose, such as hurrying along an inheritance.

• Life Care Planning Packet (Advanced Directives) Information and Documents from the Office of Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard
• Life Care PLanning (Advanced Directives or Health Care Directives Form
• Health Care Directive form from the Arizona Department of Economic Security

A living will is a checklist of choices an individual may or may not wish to select to save a life if diagnosed to be in a "terminal condition." This list covers things like cardiopulmonary resuscitation, electric shock, artificial breathing and artificially administered foods and fluids.

The idea is to determine in advance what, if any, heroic efforts should be employed to prolong life. A living will requires minimal signing formality.

The U.S. Living Will Registry® electronically stores advance directives and organ donor information, and makes these documents available to health care providers 24 hours a day securely via automated Internet or telephone/fax systems.

A Prehospital medical care directive allows an individual to decide if resuscitation should occur in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. The choice to be resuscitated authorizes such things as cardiac compression, intubation, artificial breathing and electric shock. This directive is most often used in a hospital.

It is a simple form requiring no signing formality. If an individual elects not to be resuscitated, they will be fitted with an orange wrist or ankle bracelet so emergency medical personnel will be aware of the patient's preference.