Make Your Healthcare Wishes Known Before They Are Needed
An unexpected illness, accident, or medical emergency can leave you unable to communicate your healthcare wishes. An Advance Directive for Health Care in Georgia allows you to plan ahead, provide instructions concerning certain medical decisions, and identify someone you trust to act on your behalf when authorized to do so.
At Hoffman & Associates, our estate planning attorneys help individuals and families incorporate advance healthcare directives into comprehensive estate plans. By making these decisions in advance, you can provide valuable guidance to your loved ones and healthcare providers during circumstances when you may be unable to speak for yourself.
Why Do I Need an Advance Healthcare Directive?
Many people assume their closest family members will automatically know what they want or have the authority to make every healthcare decision.
Unfortunately, medical emergencies can create difficult questions at exactly the time families are least prepared to answer them.
An advance healthcare directive allows you to make your preferences known before a crisis occurs.
Having appropriate documents in place may:
- Provide clearer instructions regarding your healthcare preferences
- Identify the person you trust to make healthcare decisions
- Reduce uncertainty for family members
- Help healthcare providers understand your wishes
- Minimize disagreements among loved ones
- Provide greater control over important medical decisions
Planning ahead can be an important gift to both yourself and your family.
Who Should Have an Advance Healthcare Directive?
Advance directives are not just for older adults or people facing serious medical conditions.
Any competent adult can benefit from considering what should happen if an unexpected accident or illness leaves them unable to communicate healthcare decisions.
An advance directive may be particularly important when you:
- Turn 18
- Get married or divorced
- Have children
- Experience changes in your health
- Have surgery or a major medical procedure
- Begin caring for aging family members
- Create or update your estate plan
- Move to Georgia from another state
- Experience significant changes in family relationships
The best time to establish your wishes is before an emergency occurs.
When Should I Update My Georgia Advance Directive?
Your preferences, relationships, and circumstances can change over time.
Consider reviewing your Advance Directive for Health Care following:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Death of your healthcare agent
- Changes in your relationship with your agent
- A significant medical diagnosis
- Major changes in your healthcare preferences
- Moving to or from Georgia
- Changes in family circumstances
- Updates to your overall estate plan
Periodic reviews can help ensure that the document continues to reflect your current wishes.
