Less than 25 percent of Americans have expressed their thoughts in writing about how they wish to be cared for if they are unable to speak for themselves. Completing an advance directive helps you make thoughtful choices about your future medical care and any end of life decisions.
Advance Directives
The Advance Directive can be a Medical Power of Attorney, Living Will, or Mental Health Power of Attorney or a combination of the three. The document indicates your choices about medical treatment. In the document, you can also name someone to make decisions about your medical treatment if you are unable to make these decisions or choices yourself. By completing the appropriate advance directives, you can predetermine end-of-life decisions about your future medical care in a legally sound way.
Two types of advance directives are generally completed: a durable health care power of attorney and a living will:
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Durable Health Care power of attorney (or designation of a health care surrogate): This legal document allows you to select any person to make medical decisions for you if you should become temporarily or even permanently unable to make those decisions for yourself.
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Living will: This written statement tells health care providers what type of life-prolonging treatments or procedures to perform if you have a terminal condition or are in a persistent vegetative state. Living wills should not be confused with a regular will. A living will only deals with and addresses issues regarding your medical care while you are still living.
Power of Attorney Living Will - English
Power of Attorney Living Will - Spanish
Arizona Advance Directive Registry
Store a copy of your advance directive in Arizona’s Advance Health Care Directive Registry so it is available in an emergency. The Arizona Advance Directive Registry is a FREE database for the storage of advance directives (Living Will, Medical Power of Attorney, and Mental Health Power of Attorney).
Office of Arizona Secretary of State.
Contact Us
Cheryl Weiss
Network Director, Spiritual Care and Mission Integration
Carondelet Health Network
Email:
cweiss@carondelet.org
Phone: (520) 872-7523