Who makes medical decisions if I can’t make them for myself?

The Advance Health Care Directive is a document in which you appoint a person, called your health care agent, to access your medical records and make decisions for you regarding your medical care when you can’t make them yourself. The Advance Health Care Directive can also include a Living Will, which exercises your right to make decisions regarding your own health care, including the decision to provide, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining procedures. A Living Will allows you to retain control over medical treatments when diagnosed with a terminal or end-stage condition or if you are in a persistent vegetative state and can’t make health care decisions for yourself. These choices can relieve some stress from your loved ones at a difficult time, as you are making decisions ahead of time regarding your end of life care.