Advance healthcare directives and living wills provide clarity when patients cannot speak for themselves. They help reduce family stress by documenting preferences, appointing trusted decision-makers, and guiding medical teams. By planning ahead, you protect autonomy, avoid conflicts, and ensure care aligns with your values.
By aligning directives with proxies and powers of attorney, care teams understand exactly who to contact, what preferences to follow, and how to proceed if your condition changes. This coordination minimizes delays and family conflict in decisive moments.
Choosing our firm means partnering with attorneys who prioritize your goals, respect local regulations, and communicate clearly. We tailor documents to your unique situation, provide ongoing support, and help you navigate changes in health, family, and law.
We offer periodic reviews and updates to keep your directives current with changes in health, law, or personal circumstances.
An advance healthcare directive is a written set of instructions that explains your medical treatment preferences if you cannot express them yourself. It often includes designating a healthcare proxy and specifying whether you wish to receive or decline life-sustaining measures, organ donation, and other critical decisions. Regular reviews help ensure accuracy and ongoing relevance.
A healthcare proxy should be a trusted individual who understands your values and can communicate effectively with medical staff. Choose someone who is available, responsible, and willing to advocate for your preferences in complex situations. Discuss your wishes in advance so they can make informed choices when needed.
Living wills should be reviewed at least every few years or after major life changes such as marriage, divorce, relocation, or significant health events. Updates ensure that the document reflects your current beliefs, medical options, and any changes in state law that could affect enforceability.
If you have no directive, medical teams may follow default treatment protocols based on family input or hospital policy. This situation can lead to disagreements. Having a clear directive minimizes ambiguity and helps care teams honor your preferences, even when you cannot communicate.
Yes. You can modify directives as needed. Changes should be documented in writing, properly executed, and stored with your other essential documents. Keeping your directives current ensures medical decisions continue to reflect your evolving wishes and circumstances.
A will handles the distribution of assets after death, while healthcare directives govern medical decisions during incapacity. Although related, they serve different purposes. It is common to have both to ensure your overall wishes are respected and your loved ones are supported.
Power of attorney for healthcare authorizes someone to make medical decisions for you, while a living will specifies treatment preferences. A clear combination ensures decisions are guided by your wishes and supported by a designated decision-maker who can respond to real-time situations.
Most states honor directives drafted in other jurisdictions, but requirements vary. It is advisable to review out-of-state directives with a local attorney to ensure form, witnesses, and notarization meet North Carolina standards and are fully enforceable here.
Please bring a government-issued ID, any existing health directives, a list of medications, your primary care physician’s contact, and the names and contact information of your intended proxy or agent. Also share any questions about specific medical treatments or scenarios you want addressed.
Cost varies based on complexity and the number of documents. We tailor pricing to your needs and provide transparent estimates upfront. Investing in a comprehensive plan now can prevent costly disputes later and provide long-term peace of mind for you and your family.
