Understanding Advance Directives 

What is an Advance Directive?
Advance directive is a general term that refers to several types of documents such as a Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney and Health Care Surrogate Designation.  These documents, or advance directives, can only be signed when you are competent
to decide who will make financial or health care decisions for you if you should become unable to do so yourself.

Although Advance Directive forms are offered to patients being admitted to a hospital or nursing home, this is usually a time of crisis. It is a good idea to plan ahead and to make your wishes known before you become ill or before you are in crisis.

What is a Durable Power of Attorney?
A power of attorney is a document by which you give another person — your "agent" — the authority to make decisions about the financial aspects of your life.  A durable power of attorney remains in effect even if you become incapacitated. In
Florida, you can also give your agent the authority to make decisions about your medical treatment. For example, you can authorize your agent to consent to medical and surgical procedures for you under certain circumstances.

Like a declaration, you must be at least 18 years old. And, like a declaration, you can revoke or change your durable power of attorney at any time before you become incompetent.

Advance Directives include:

Health Care Surrogate: Under Florida law, a health care surrogate is any competent adult expressly designated by you to make health care decisions on your behalf should you become unable to do so yourself.

Living Will: A witnessed oral statement or a witnessed written document expressing instructions concerning life-prolonging procedures if you are unable to make decisions for yourself.

Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR): a yellow form designated by Florida statute that is used to prevent the attempt to make the heart beat and the lungs breath after they have stopped. Unlike the other advance directives, only a terminally ill person, his or her health care surrogate, or the facility or physician under certain circumstances, can execute a DNR. Emergency and/or medical personnel only Provide comfort care when a DNR is signed.