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984-265-7800
Book Consultation
984-265-7800
Book Consultation
984-265-7800
Book Consultation
984-265-7800
Defining wishes in advance reduces confusion during emergencies and helps healthcare teams honor patient choices. Patients gain peace of mind knowing loved ones are spared from difficult decisions while clinicians follow explicit directives. A well-planned Living Will and Advance Directive framework also minimizes potential conflicts among family members.
A comprehensive plan aligns choices across hospital, home, and hospice settings, reducing ambiguity and helping caregivers act consistently with your values.
We provide client-centered planning with careful drafting that meets North Carolina requirements, ensuring your directives are accurate, enforceable, and easy to follow.
We coordinate reminders and convenient times for routine reviews, so your wishes remain accurate over time.
A Living Will and Advance Directive together create a clear medical plan. The Living Will describes treatments you want or refuse if you cannot speak for yourself, focusing on life-sustaining measures, comfort, and dignity in end-of-life scenarios. An Advance Directive adds a healthcare proxy who can make decisions when you cannot, ensuring your chosen advocate understands your values and can communicate with clinicians. This combination provides structure, reduces confusion, and guides care consistent with your preferences.
Choose someone you trust implicitly, who understands your goals and will advocate for your wishes under stress. Discuss scenarios, expectations, and boundaries so they can act confidently when needed. In North Carolina, consider availability, health, and willingness to follow your instructions, and share your choices with your attorney.
Yes. You can update or revoke Living Wills and Advance Directives as long as you are mentally competent. Periodic reviews are recommended to reflect changes in health, values, or family circumstances. Our firm assists with updates to ensure continued validity and alignment with current wishes.
Yes, these documents are legally recognized in North Carolina when properly signed and witnessed. We help you meet all statutory requirements, including proper execution, witnessing, and storage to safeguard enforceability across different healthcare settings.
Mental health treatment preferences can be included with specificity, covering medications, hospitalization, and therapy approaches. Clear instructions help clinicians balance psychiatric needs with overall care goals. Discuss values with your healthcare proxy and attorney to ensure inclusive guidance that reflects your circumstances.
Powers related to finances are not covered by Living Wills; you should consider a separate Durable Power of Attorney for Finances. We coordinate these documents so your medical and financial decisions remain synchronized and easy to act upon when needed.
Timeline varies by complexity, but planning typically takes a few weeks from initial questions to final execution. We aim for a straightforward process with clear milestones, followed by signing, witnessing, and delivery of copies for your records.
If incapacity occurs before signing, the directives cannot guide care until they exist and are valid. You can still prepare and execute documents and appoint a proxy for when capacity returns, if applicable, with our assistance.
Store originals in a safe, accessible place and share copies with your healthcare proxy, physician, and attorney. Consider a digital version where allowed and ensure caregivers know where to locate the documents for emergencies.
To schedule a consultation, contact our Durham office at 984-265-7800 or use the online form to set a convenient time. Our team explains options, answers questions, and outlines steps to create or update Living Wills and Advance Directives.
