Utah Statutory Advance Health Care Directive

Advance directives generally fall into three categories: living will, power of attorney, and health care proxy.

You can get the forms in a doctor's office, hospital, law office, state or local office for the aging, senior center, nursing home, or online. When you write your advance directive, think about the kinds of treatments that you do or don't want to receive if you get seriously hurt or ill.

An advance directive is a set of instructions someone prepares in advance of ill health that determines his healthcare wishes. A living will is one type of advance directive that becomes effective when a person is terminally ill.

The name and contact information of your healthcare agent/proxy. Answers to specific questions about your preferences for care if you become unable to speak for yourself. Names and signatures of individuals who witness your signing your advance directive, if required.

The living will. Durable power of attorney for health care/Medical power of attorney. POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. Organ and tissue donation.

Advance Directives They must be portable; they can be available wherever you are in the world. They must be available in a timely manner. They must be in a safe place, protected from theft, fire, flood or other natural disasters.

An advance directive, alone, may not be sufficient to stop all forms of life-saving treatment. You may also need specific do not resuscitate, or DNR orders.You retain the right to override the decisions or your representative, change the terms of your living will or POA, or completely revoke an advance directive.

As long as you can still make your own decisions, your advance directive won't be used. You can change or cancel it at any time. Your health care agent will only make choices for you if you can't or don't want to decide for yourself.

A legal and ethical analysis of advance directive overrides is provided as no court to date has awarded damages to plaintiffs who alleged their loved one suffered "wrongful life" following a successful life-prolonging intervention.