Comprehensive Guide to Advance Healthcare Directives and Living Wills in Olivet
Advance healthcare directives and living wills are legal tools that allow individuals in Olivet to document their medical wishes in case they cannot speak for themselves. These documents clarify preferences about life-sustaining treatment, appoint a person to make healthcare decisions, and reduce uncertainty for family members and providers. In Tennessee, drafting clear directives helps ensure medical teams and loved ones follow your values regarding end-of-life care, pain management, and comfort measures. Taking time to create these documents now can prevent emotional stress later and provide a reliable way to communicate personal choices about medical treatment in a difficult moment.
Creating an advance healthcare directive or living will is a practical step for adults of any age who want control over medical decisions if they become incapacitated. These documents address scenarios like prolonged unconsciousness, severe cognitive decline, or sudden incapacitating injury. They can be tailored to reflect religious beliefs, preferences for resuscitation, feeding tubes, and other interventions. Discussing your choices with family and the person you nominate to act on your behalf makes the process smoother. Clear directives give healthcare providers lawful guidance and help families avoid conflict when decisions about life-sustaining care arise.
Why Advance Directives and Living Wills Matter for Olivet Residents
Advance healthcare directives and living wills give people in Olivet practical control over future medical decisions and ease burdens on family members. When a directive is in place, healthcare providers and loved ones have documented instructions to follow, which reduces uncertainty and disputes during stressful health crises. These documents also protect personal dignity by ensuring treatment aligns with individual values regarding quality of life and comfort. For families, a clear directive can prevent difficult disagreements and provide legal clarity about who should make decisions. Establishing these plans ahead of time supports better outcomes for everyone involved.
About Jay Johnson Law Firm and Our Approach to Health Care Directives
Jay Johnson Law Firm in Hendersonville serves clients across Hardin County, including Olivet, with practical assistance in estate planning and probate matters. Our approach focuses on clear communication, compassionate guidance, and thorough document drafting that reflects each client’s personal wishes. We assist with selecting a trusted healthcare agent, drafting instructions about medical treatment, and ensuring documents meet Tennessee legal requirements. Our goal is to make the process straightforward, respectful, and tailored so that clients feel confident their healthcare preferences will be honored if they become unable to express them directly.
Understanding Advance Healthcare Directives and Living Wills
Advance healthcare directives and living wills are legal instruments used to convey medical preferences in situations where an individual cannot communicate decisions. An advance directive typically includes a durable power of attorney for healthcare, designating a person to make decisions, and a living will section specifying the types of medical treatments desired or refused. In Tennessee, certain formalities must be followed for these documents to be valid, including the presence of witnesses or notarization. Understanding the differences between appointing an agent and stating treatment preferences helps individuals craft documents that reflect their priorities and comply with local law.
Choosing the right provisions involves considering likely medical scenarios, personal values, and how much decision-making authority to grant a healthcare agent. Some people prefer broad authority for their agent, while others set specific instructions about resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and hydration. It’s also possible to include preferences about pain management, organ donation, and comfort care. Regular review and updates are important because life changes such as marriage, divorce, diagnosis of a serious illness, or moving to a different state may affect your choices and the appropriate person to act on your behalf.
Defining Advance Directives and Living Wills
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document that provides instructions about medical care and names someone to make healthcare decisions if you cannot. A living will is a component that specifically states what life-sustaining treatments you would accept or refuse under defined circumstances. Together these documents guide doctors and family members and can prevent confusion. In Tennessee, clear, properly executed directives are recognized by hospitals and care facilities, making it more likely that your preferences about resuscitation, ventilators, and other interventions will be followed according to the law and your personal values.
Key Elements and Steps to Create Effective Directives
Creating a reliable advance directive involves selecting a healthcare agent, articulating treatment preferences, and following Tennessee signing and witnessing rules. It is important to choose someone who understands your values and can communicate on your behalf. Drafting clear, specific instructions about life-sustaining measures, pain control, and comfort care helps medical staff interpret your wishes. After signing, provide copies to your agent, family, and healthcare providers, and review the document periodically. If circumstances change, you can update or revoke the directive to reflect new wishes or appoint a different agent to act for you.
Key Terms and Glossary for Advance Healthcare Directives
Knowing the terminology used in healthcare directives helps you make informed decisions. Common terms include healthcare agent, living will, durable power of attorney for healthcare, capacity, and life-sustaining treatment. Understanding these words clarifies how decisions will be made and implemented. Familiarity with the glossary empowers you to draft instructions that are meaningful to medical professionals and family members. Clear definitions reduce ambiguity and support a directive that aligns with your values while meeting Tennessee legal requirements for valid documentation and witness or notarization provisions.
Healthcare Agent (Agent for Medical Decisions)
A healthcare agent is the person you appoint to make medical decisions when you cannot speak for yourself. This individual has authority to consent to or refuse treatments, work with medical teams, and follow your stated preferences in an advance directive. Choosing an agent involves considering trustworthiness, communication skills, and willingness to advocate for your wishes. It is advisable to discuss preferences and values with that person so they understand how to act in various medical situations. In Tennessee, naming an agent clarifies who has legal authority and reduces confusion during critical moments.
Living Will
A living will is the portion of an advance directive that records your specific treatment preferences for end-of-life care and other serious medical conditions. It addresses interventions like resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and artificial nutrition, and expresses whether you want such measures in defined situations. A living will helps clinicians and families follow your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment and comfort care. In Tennessee, a clear living will that is properly executed provides meaningful guidance to medical teams and supports consistent care decisions when you cannot communicate directly.
Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
A durable power of attorney for healthcare is a legal document that authorizes a named agent to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. It remains in effect if you lack capacity and typically complements a living will by enabling your agent to address issues not explicitly covered in written instructions. The document should specify the scope of decision-making authority and any limits you wish to impose. Providing clear instructions and discussing expectations with your agent ensures that medical decisions reflect your values and comply with Tennessee legal practices.
Capacity and Incapacity
Capacity refers to a person’s ability to understand medical information and make informed decisions about treatment. Incapacity occurs when illness, injury, or cognitive decline prevents someone from communicating or comprehending choices. Advance directives become operative when a person lacks capacity, allowing an agent or written instructions to guide care. Assessments of capacity are made by medical professionals. Clarifying how capacity is determined and setting triggers for when directives apply can help ensure that your healthcare preferences are honored at the appropriate time.
Comparing Limited Directives and Comprehensive Planning
When planning for future healthcare, individuals may choose a limited directive that addresses only a few specific scenarios or a comprehensive plan that covers a broad range of medical decisions and contingencies. Limited approaches are quicker to prepare and can be adequate for people with straightforward preferences. Comprehensive plans include detailed instructions, appointment of an agent, and provisions for unusual circumstances, reducing ambiguity and the need for interpretation. Comparing the two involves weighing the desire for simplicity against the comfort of having thorough guidance available to both medical teams and loved ones.
When a Limited Directive May Be Appropriate:
Clear, Narrow Treatment Preferences
A limited directive can be appropriate when your medical preferences are straightforward and focus on a few specific interventions, such as resuscitation or mechanical ventilation. If you have firmly held views about these narrow issues and do not foresee complex medical scenarios, a concise document may provide the guidance your healthcare team needs. This approach is often chosen by individuals who prefer simplicity and clarity, and who have close family members who understand their wishes. Even with a limited directive, it is important to name an agent and share the document with loved ones and providers.
Low Likelihood of Complex Medical Decisions
A limited approach may suit those who believe they are unlikely to encounter prolonged or complicated medical conditions requiring nuanced decisions. People in relatively good health with clear preferences about life-sustaining measures sometimes opt for shorter directives that focus on primary concerns. This can streamline the process while still offering legal guidance. However, it remains important to name someone to act on your behalf and to periodically review the document to ensure it still reflects your values in case your health or circumstances change over time.
Why a Comprehensive Directive Can Be Beneficial:
Complex Health Conditions or Uncertain Scenarios
A comprehensive advance directive is valuable when you anticipate complex medical decisions or want detailed guidance across a range of possible outcomes. For individuals with chronic illnesses, progressive conditions, or complex family dynamics, a thorough document reduces ambiguity and helps ensure that decisions align with personal values. Comprehensive planning includes clear instructions, designation of an agent, and contingencies for changing circumstances. This level of detail can make it easier for medical providers and family members to honor your preferences without conflict or uncertainty in emotionally charged situations.
Desire for Specific Guidance and Legal Clarity
Choosing a comprehensive directive is often motivated by the desire for precise instructions about treatments, pain management, and comfort measures. People who want to avoid ambiguity may specify how decisions should be made in multiple scenarios, limiting disputes and ensuring that their wishes are followed. A detailed directive also clarifies legal authority, reducing the chance of disagreement among family members. For those who want strong documentation of their preferences, comprehensive planning provides confidence that medical care will reflect their values even in complex medical situations.
Benefits of Taking a Comprehensive Approach
A comprehensive approach to advance healthcare directives offers greater clarity for both medical providers and family members. Detailed instructions reduce ambiguity and make it easier to apply your wishes to real-life medical scenarios. This level of planning also designates decision-making authority, which can prevent disputes and ensure that someone trusted can act on your behalf when needed. Comprehensive documents can address a variety of treatments and preferences, allowing for nuanced guidance about comfort care, pain management, and end-of-life decisions that align with your personal values and goals.
Comprehensive planning encourages proactive conversations with loved ones and the person you name as your decision-maker. These discussions increase the likelihood that your agent will understand how to interpret and implement your wishes. Additionally, thorough documentation often speeds decision making during stressful times because healthcare teams can follow clear instructions. Regularly reviewing and updating the directive ensures it stays aligned with changes in health, family structure, or personal preferences, enabling your plan to remain relevant and effective when it matters most.
Reduced Family Conflict and Clear Direction
One major benefit of a comprehensive directive is the potential to minimize disagreements among family members by providing clear, written instructions that reflect your wishes. When loved ones have a documented plan, they are less likely to face uncertainty about what decisions to make. Naming a trusted agent who understands your values also helps streamline communication and decision-making with medical teams. This clarity can lessen emotional strain during crises and support smoother transitions in care, which brings both legal and personal benefits to those involved.
Better Alignment Between Care and Personal Values
A comprehensive directive increases the likelihood that medical treatment will reflect your individual priorities regarding quality of life, comfort, and long-term care preferences. By addressing a range of possible scenarios, you enable providers and your agent to make decisions consistent with your values. This careful alignment reduces the chance that you will receive treatments you would not have wanted or forgo those you would have accepted. Ultimately, thorough planning helps ensure that medical care supports the goals you set for your life and wellbeing.
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Practical Tips for Advance Directives and Living Wills
Choose the Right Person to Act for You
Selecting the person who will make healthcare decisions on your behalf is one of the most important steps in creating an advance directive. Look for someone who understands your values, communicates well with family members, and is willing to carry out difficult decisions. Discuss specific medical preferences with this person so they can represent your wishes confidently. Make sure the chosen individual is available and willing to act, and consider naming one or more alternates in case the primary agent is unable to serve when needed.
Be Specific About Treatment Preferences
Share and Review Your Documents Regularly
After creating an advance directive, provide copies to your healthcare agent, family members, and treating physicians. Keep a copy in a safe but accessible place and consider carrying a card or note indicating that you have a directive and where it can be found. Periodically review the document, especially after major life changes such as marriage, divorce, new diagnoses, or relocation. Regular updates ensure the directive remains current and reduces confusion during medical emergencies, making it more effective when it’s needed most.
Why You Should Consider an Advance Directive or Living Will
Creating an advance healthcare directive or living will offers peace of mind by documenting your medical preferences and naming a decision-maker if you cannot speak for yourself. It protects your autonomy and reduces the emotional burden on loved ones by providing clear legal guidance at a difficult time. For people with progressive illnesses, advanced age, or high-risk lifestyles, these documents ensure that care aligns with personal values. Even healthy adults benefit from planning, since unexpected events can occur, and having instructions in place prevents uncertainty and conflict.
Another reason to establish these documents is to ensure your wishes are recognized by medical providers and institutions. Clear, properly executed directives help avoid delays in decision-making and create legal authority for the person you designate to speak on your behalf. This is particularly important if family members disagree about the right course of action. Advance planning helps maintain continuity of care and supports timely decisions that reflect your preferences regarding life-sustaining measures, comfort care, and other medical treatments.
Common Situations Where Advance Directives Are Used
Advance directives and living wills are used in a variety of circumstances, including serious accident recovery, stroke, advanced dementia, terminal illness, and other conditions that impair decision-making capacity. They are also important for older adults planning for future care, individuals undergoing major surgery, or those diagnosed with chronic illnesses that may progress. Having a directive in place ensures that medical teams and families have clear instructions about preferred treatment approaches, reducing stress and allowing focus on comfort and dignity rather than uncertainty about care choices.
Advanced or Terminal Illness
When someone faces an advanced or terminal illness, advance directives guide decisions about life-sustaining treatment, comfort measures, and palliative care preferences. Documenting wishes in advance helps ensure that medical care aligns with the person’s values as the illness progresses. It also provides clarity for loved ones during emotional times and allows the healthcare agent to communicate effectively with providers about treatment choices, pain management, and goals of care, helping to maintain dignity and respect for the patient’s wishes.
Sudden Incapacitating Injury
A sudden accident or injury that leaves a person unconscious or unable to communicate highlights the importance of having a directive in place. Such documents instruct medical teams whether to initiate or withhold certain life-sustaining treatments and identify who should make decisions on the patient’s behalf. This guidance reduces delays and uncertainty, helping providers act in accordance with the patient’s preferences and giving family members confidence that decisions reflect documented intentions rather than guesswork during a crisis.
Dementia or Cognitive Decline
Progressive cognitive conditions, such as dementia, create scenarios where a person may gradually lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Advance directives created early in the disease course preserve the individual’s voice about medical treatment even after capacity declines. These documents can specify preferences for long-term care, feeding measures, and comfort-focused approaches, and they designate a trusted agent to carry out decisions. Early planning promotes care that respects personal values while easing the emotional load on caregivers and family members.
Local Legal Support for Advance Directives in Olivet
Jay Johnson Law Firm provides practical assistance to Olivet residents who wish to prepare advance healthcare directives or living wills. We help clients understand Tennessee law, select an appropriate healthcare agent, and draft documents that clearly express medical preferences. We also ensure documents are properly executed and distributed to the right people. Our service aims to reduce stress for families, protect clients’ rights to make decisions about their care, and provide reliable documentation that medical providers can follow when a person cannot speak for themselves.
Why Choose Jay Johnson Law Firm for Your Advance Directive
Jay Johnson Law Firm assists clients with straightforward, practical legal guidance for advance healthcare directives and living wills. We focus on clear communication and personalized documents that reflect the client’s values and meet Tennessee legal requirements. Our approach emphasizes preparing durable documents, selecting an appropriate healthcare agent, and advising on how to share and update directives. We aim to make the process manageable and understandable so clients and families feel prepared for medical decisions that may arise in the future.
Our team helps clients navigate the formalities of execution, including witness and notarization requirements, and advises on how to coordinate directives with other estate planning documents. We ensure that your plan is practical and accessible to the people who need it, including healthcare providers and family members. We also support clients in reviewing and revising documents as circumstances change, helping keep the directive current and aligned with the client’s intentions over time.
We understand the sensitivity of end-of-life planning and strive to provide a respectful process that takes into account personal values, family dynamics, and medical realities. Our goal is to provide clients in Olivet and surrounding areas with well-prepared directives that reduce uncertainty and offer clear legal direction when it is most needed. By working collaboratively with each client, we help create durable documents that aim to protect autonomy and provide peace of mind.
Schedule a Consultation to Prepare Your Advance Directive
How We Prepare Advance Directives at Our Firm
Our process begins with an initial discussion to understand your health care values, family situation, and specific wishes about medical treatment. We explain Tennessee rules for executing directives, help you choose a reliable healthcare agent, and draft a document that captures your preferences for life-sustaining treatment, pain management, and comfort care. After preparing the directive, we review it with you, ensure proper signatures and witnesses, and provide guidance on where to store and how to share copies with family and providers to ensure the document is available when needed.
Step 1: Discuss Goals and Select an Agent
The first step in preparing an advance directive involves a careful conversation about your values, medical priorities, and potential scenarios you want to address. We help you consider the qualities to look for in a healthcare agent and discuss potential alternates if the primary choice is unavailable. This stage focuses on understanding your goals for care, preferences for life-sustaining treatments, and any specific cultural or religious considerations that should be reflected in the directive.
Exploring Personal Values and Treatment Preferences
During this stage, we discuss scenarios such as serious injury, advanced dementia, or terminal illness and what outcomes you would find acceptable. We help translate those preferences into practical language that medical professionals can implement. The conversation covers resuscitation preferences, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and comfort-focused measures. Our goal is to ensure the directive expresses your intentions clearly and realistically so that it can guide decisions effectively when you cannot speak for yourself.
Identifying a Trusted Healthcare Agent
We assist in identifying a person who can serve as your healthcare agent, discussing qualities like reliability, communication skills, and willingness to make difficult decisions. We also recommend naming alternates and discussing the agent’s responsibilities so they are prepared to act. This conversation helps ensure the person you designate understands your wishes and is comfortable advocating for them in conversations with medical teams and family members.
Step 2: Drafting and Reviewing Documents
Once goals and an agent are chosen, we draft an advance directive tailored to Tennessee law and your personal instructions. The drafting process translates your spoken preferences into clear legal language that hospital staff and physicians can follow. We review the draft with you to confirm accuracy, discuss potential scenarios, and revise wording to avoid ambiguity. Our review ensures the document is comprehensive enough to cover likely issues while remaining understandable to those who will implement it.
Preparing Clear, Practical Language
We use straightforward language to reduce confusion and ensure that medical personnel and your agent can interpret the directives consistently. Clear phrasing about treatments you accept or decline helps avoid disputes and delays. We also address any state-specific requirements for signatures and witnesses so the document will be recognized by healthcare facilities and providers in Tennessee when it matters most.
Ensuring Proper Execution and Distribution
After finalizing the directive, we guide you through the signing process to meet Tennessee formalities, whether witness signatures or notarization are required. We recommend distributing copies to your healthcare agent, family members, and treating physicians, and advise on maintaining a safe but accessible original. Proper execution and distribution help ensure your wishes are readily available and respected in medical settings.
Step 3: Ongoing Review and Updates
Advance directives are living documents that should be reviewed periodically to reflect life changes, evolving medical preferences, or new legal requirements. We recommend checking your directive after major events like marriage, divorce, new diagnoses, or relocation, and updating it when necessary. Regular reviews help maintain clarity and ensure the appointed agent remains appropriate. When updates are made, we assist with re-execution and redistribution so the most current version guides decisions.
When to Revisit Your Directive
You should revisit your advance directive after significant life changes such as a new health diagnosis, a change in family circumstances, or if you move to another state with different legal requirements. Periodic reviews ensure your instructions remain aligned with your values and the person named to act still feels able to serve. Updating the document keeps it relevant and useful for medical decision-making when capacity is lost or medical crises occur.
Updating and Re-executing Documents
When revisions are needed, we help prepare an updated directive and guide you through the formalities required in Tennessee. Properly revoking an old document and executing a new one reduces confusion about which version is controlling. We also recommend sharing updates with your agent, family, and healthcare providers so everyone is aware of the current instructions and the location of the signed paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions About Advance Directives and Living Wills
What is the difference between an advance directive and a living will?
An advance directive is a broad term that includes legal documents allowing you to provide medical instructions and appoint someone to make decisions if you cannot speak. A living will is typically the portion of an advance directive that records specific preferences about life-sustaining treatments under certain conditions. The directive may also include a durable power of attorney for healthcare that names a person to act on your behalf. Together these components create a clear plan for medical decision-making when capacity is lost. In practice, combining both appointment of an agent and written treatment instructions provides comprehensive guidance. The living will section covers situations where you want to state preferences like declining mechanical ventilation or tube feeding, while the agent can address unanticipated scenarios. Proper execution and distribution help ensure medical teams can follow your documented wishes.
How do I choose the right person to make healthcare decisions for me?
Choose someone you trust to make difficult decisions under stress, who understands your values and can communicate effectively with family and medical staff. Consider reliability, emotional stability, and a willingness to follow your instructions even if others disagree. It is helpful to select an alternate decision-maker in case the primary person is unavailable. Having a conversation with the chosen person beforehand ensures they know your preferences and are willing to accept the responsibility. Make sure the person lives nearby or can be reached quickly in emergencies, and confirm they understand any cultural or religious considerations you want included in care. Document your conversations so your agent has a clear reference for interpreting your wishes. Revisiting this choice periodically is important as relationships and circumstances change.
Do advance directives need to be notarized in Tennessee?
Tennessee has formal requirements for executing advance directives, which can include witness signatures or notarization depending on the document and how it is prepared. Ensuring compliance with state rules helps ensure the directive will be recognized by hospitals and care providers. A properly signed and witnessed document reduces the risk of challenges and maximizes the likelihood that your instructions will be followed when you cannot communicate them yourself. Because requirements can vary and updates occur, it is wise to confirm current Tennessee formalities when preparing or updating your directive. We can guide you through signing and witnessing steps to ensure the document is legally valid and ready to be used by medical professionals and institutions.
Can I change or revoke my advance directive later?
Yes, you can change or revoke your advance directive at any time while you have capacity. Life events such as marriage, divorce, a new diagnosis, or changes in family dynamics often prompt revisions. To avoid confusion, it is important to formally revoke the old document and execute a new one according to Tennessee procedures. Communicate changes to your healthcare agent, family, and medical providers so everyone is aware of the current instructions. Updating the directive periodically helps ensure it reflects your present wishes and the person you have named remains appropriate. When making revisions, follow the same signing and witnessing steps required for initial execution so the updated document will be recognized when needed.
Will hospitals and doctors in Tennessee follow my living will?
Hospitals and physicians in Tennessee generally follow properly executed living wills and advance directives because these documents provide legal guidance about patient preferences. To increase the likelihood that your wishes are honored, ensure the directive is clear, follows state formalities, and is accessible to treating providers. Providing copies to your healthcare agent, family, and primary care physician helps ensure that medical teams are informed about your preferences when treatment decisions arise. In complex situations, providers may seek clarification from the appointed agent or consult with ethics committees, but having a well-drafted directive reduces ambiguity and supports timely decision-making that aligns with your stated wishes.
What should I discuss with the person I name as my healthcare agent?
Discuss the kinds of medical situations you want the agent to handle, your preferences for life-sustaining treatment, comfort care, and any religious or cultural considerations. Make sure the agent understands your values around quality of life and acceptable outcomes so they can apply those principles when making decisions. Clear conversations give the agent confidence to act and help prevent uncertainty or conflict among family members. Also discuss logistics, such as where your directive is stored, how to access medical records if needed, and whether you want the agent to consult other family members. Regular conversations ensure the agent’s understanding remains current and aligned with your wishes.
Should my advance directive address organ donation or other specific wishes?
Including specific wishes like organ donation, preferences about pain management, and directions for comfort care can be valuable parts of an advance directive. Documenting these preferences removes ambiguity and guides medical teams and your agent in making choices that align with your values. If organ donation is important to you, specifying that preference ensures it is considered and coordinated appropriately with medical staff and transplant organizations. Specific instructions about hospice care, location of preferred care, or cultural practices at the end of life can also be included. Clear, written guidance makes it easier for providers and loved ones to follow your intentions and reduces stress during medical crises.
How often should I review or update my advance directive?
Review your advance directive regularly, especially after significant life changes such as a new diagnosis, marriage, divorce, or relocation. Annual reviews are a good habit, ensuring that the document remains consistent with your values and the person named as agent continues to be the best choice. Regular reviews also help you confirm that the document reflects any changes in medical preferences or treatment options that matter to you. When you update the directive, follow Tennessee signing and witnessing requirements and redistribute copies to your agent, family, and medical providers. Keeping everyone informed about updates helps ensure the most current version guides decisions in an emergency.
What happens if my family disagrees with my directive?
If family members disagree with the directions in a valid advance directive, the written instructions and the appointment of a healthcare agent carry significant legal weight. A properly executed directive should guide medical providers and limit disputes. The designated agent has authority to make decisions consistent with the directive, which helps resolve conflicts. Clear documentation reduces the likelihood of prolonged disagreement and supports implementation of your expressed wishes. When disputes arise, providers may seek additional guidance from ethics committees or legal counsel, but the existence of a clear, current directive and a named agent typically provides direction that medical teams can follow. Open communication with family members ahead of time can also reduce conflict.
Where should I keep my advance directive and who should have copies?
Keep the original signed advance directive in a safe but accessible place and provide copies to your healthcare agent, family members, and treating physicians. Consider giving a copy to your primary care doctor and storing a copy with the hospital where you receive care. Some people also carry a wallet card indicating that they have an advance directive and where the original is located to help first responders and emergency personnel locate it quickly. Make sure the people who need access know how to find the document and have contact information for your healthcare agent. When you update the directive, redistribute the new version so everyone has the most current instructions available in an emergency.