Advance directives can address an individual’s medical preferences and support needs if they experience a debilitating emergency. These living documents help address emergencies where people become incapacitated but do not die.
Florida recognizes three separate types of advance directives. There are living wills that outline basic medical wishes regarding resuscitation, pain management and other aspects of treatment. There are healthcare proxy documents that allow people to nominate someone to make medical care decisions on their behalf. There are also documents addressing anatomical gifts. Adults can leave clear directions regarding what, if any, anatomical gifts they want to make after their passing.
Ultimately, advance directives don’t just protect an person drafting this document. They are also important for the family members of that individual.
Emergencies cause personal stress
The people closest to an individual experiencing a medical emergency often go through a personal crisis. They may take time off work, experience profound emotional reactions and feel uncertain about the future.
The pressure to make decisions about a loved one’s medical care or an anatomical gift may only worsen that intense emotional stress. If people establish living wills and provide guidance regarding anatomical gifts before the need for making decisions arises, those potentially tasked with making decisions in an emergency can feel confident about their decisions instead of anxious because they are unsure of what the incapacitated person actually wants.
Emergencies strain family dynamics
Advance directives are also important for protecting the connections among those unaffected by the emergency. Children could become angry at a parent or stepparent because of how they handle medical decision-making.
Individual children may fight with one another when they have to make choices regarding a parent’s care. Clear documentation regarding who has the authorization to make key decisions and what the preferences of the incapacitated party are can help limit opportunities for conflict among those responding to a personal emergency.
Proper documentation can take the pressure off of families and can protect people from their loved ones making the wrong decisions in an emergency scenario. Creating an estate plan that includes advance directives and updating those documents occasionally can prove beneficial for a person drafting documents and the people who love them alike.