Get MARYLAND Advance Directive Planning For Important Healthcare ... - Caringinfo

Documents such as the advance directive can help ensure that your loved ones and your health care team honor your wishes. Even though these situations can be uncomfortable to think about, planning in advance offers you and your family members peace of mind and helps eliminate confusion in a difficult time.

An "advance health care directive" lets your physician, family and friends know your health care preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or don't want at the end of life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation.

By planning ahead, you can get the medical care you want, avoid unnecessary suffering and relieve caregivers of decision-making burdens during moments of crisis or grief. You also help reduce confusion or disagreement about the choices you would want people to make on your behalf.

A Maryland law called the Health Care Decisions Act says that you can do health care planning through “advance directives.” An advance directive can be used to name a health care agent. This is someone you trust to make health care decisions for you.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow people to state what medical treatments they want or do not want in the event that they are unable to make decisions or communicate because of severe illness or injury.

You can appoint someone to make medical decisions for you by completing the Maryland Advance Directive Form. Two witnesses must co-sign the form. The form does not need to be notarized.

For older adults who unexpectedly require critical care services, advance directives may help guide the use of life-sustaining treatment choices early and throughout the course of critical illness, and may ensure that those choices are consistent with their values and preferences.

Advance Directives. Advance care planning is a process, not an event, and is planning for future care based on a person's values, beliefs, preferences, and specific medical issues. An advance directive is the record of that process.