Advance Directives: A Plain-English Guide
Living wills, healthcare power of attorney, POLST and the conversations that make them work.
9 min read
Advance directives are legal documents that record your healthcare wishes and name someone to act on them when you can't. They are among the highest-leverage, lowest-cost things any adult can do.
A living will documents wishes about specific treatments — CPR, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, comfort-focused vs aggressive care.
A healthcare power of attorney (also called a healthcare proxy) names a person to make decisions when you can't. This is generally more important than the living will because it covers situations no document can anticipate.
POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) is a medical order for people with serious illness, signed by a clinician, that travels across care settings. It is distinct from and complementary to a living will.
The document is only as good as the conversation behind it. Talk to the named decision-maker about your values and specific scenarios — not just whether you 'want everything.'
Review and update every few years and after major life events. Distribute copies to your decision-maker, primary care clinician and local hospital.