As you plan for your future with an estate plan in Georgia, there are many aspects to consider. From choosing a guardian for your children to setting up a trust for your assets, every part of your estate plan deserves your utmost attention. One of the most important parts of your plan is a healthcare directive which is part of advanced care planning.
According to the National Institute on Aging, advanced care planning is not only for the elderly. A medical crisis, injury or illness can occur at any age and leave you without the ability to make your own healthcare decisions. At this point, your family must determine how far they should go to save your life, what your final wishes are and who has the right to make the final choices. You can give them peace of mind and avoid all these conflicts by including a healthcare directive in your plan.
A healthcare directive allows you to choose who will make decisions when you are mentally or physically incapacitated. As you receive new information about your health or as you age, you can update and change the document to keep it in line with your wishes and values. According to research, those who document their end of life wishes are more likely to get the care they want and prefer when the time comes.
While you may not know what kind of medical crisis could happen in the future, your healthcare directive can decide if you want CPR to be resuscitated or if you want to be put on a ventilator if you cannot breathe. It also allows you to specify if you want artificial hydration and nutrition at the end of your life and what type of comfort care you want to soothe you if there is nothing left to do to prolong your life or treat your illness.
A healthcare directive can provide peace of mind for you and your family. If your current estate plan does not include one, you may benefit from speaking to an attorney.
This is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as legal advice.