High-dose flu shot may lower risk of Alzheimer's
Do gallstones always need treatment?
Healthier plant-based diet tied to lower risk of dementia
Is MRI contrast dye safe?
Are those body aches a sign of gallstones?
Staying active throughout middle age may lower women's risk of dying early
Hantavirus explained: What to know after the cruise ship outbreak
Stay strong at any age with 4 basic exercises
Don't count on daily aspirin to prevent colon cancer
After ablation, exercise may lower atrial fibrillation recurrence
Advance Directives Forms
You may be in robust health today. An emergency such as a car accident or a stroke could change that in a heartbeat, as could the diagnosis of a severe, life-threatening illness. Aging can also change your health landscape. If you haven't prepared advance directives or chosen a health care proxy, medical choices could be left to worried relatives or to a doctor or guardian appointed by a judge, none of whom may have a clear understanding of your values, beliefs, and preferences.
Advance Care Planning: A guide to advance directives, living wills, and other strategies for communicating health care preferences, helps guide you through the process of establishing advance directives and appointing a health care proxy.
Here are four key forms that can assist you are a Health Care Power of Attorney, a Health Decisions Worksheet, a Generic Living Will, a Sample POLST form, and an Advance Directives Tracking Sheet.
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
High-dose flu shot may lower risk of Alzheimer's
Do gallstones always need treatment?
Healthier plant-based diet tied to lower risk of dementia
Is MRI contrast dye safe?
Are those body aches a sign of gallstones?
Staying active throughout middle age may lower women's risk of dying early
Hantavirus explained: What to know after the cruise ship outbreak
Stay strong at any age with 4 basic exercises
Don't count on daily aspirin to prevent colon cancer
After ablation, exercise may lower atrial fibrillation recurrence
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