Advance Healthcare Directive Lawyers

An advance healthcare directive is one of the most important legal documents you can have in place to ensure that your healthcare decisions are respected in the event that you become unable to communicate them yourself. In times of illness, injury, or old age, the ability to direct your medical treatment is vital to maintain control over your well-being.

At Southern Estate Lawyers, we help clients create comprehensive healthcare directives that protect their rights and wishes. Contact us today at (205) 990-7000 to discuss how we can assist you in preparing an advance healthcare directive.

What Is an Advance Healthcare Directive?

An advance healthcare directive (AHD) is a legal document that provides instructions regarding your medical care if you become incapacitated and unable to express your preferences. It allows you to outline what medical treatments you want, and what treatments you do not want, in certain situations—such as during terminal illness, a coma, or incapacitation due to a severe accident.

While similar in purpose to a living will, an AHD is more comprehensive. It can include your wishes for end-of-life care, but it also allows you to designate someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself. This designated person is often called a healthcare proxy or agent.

Why Do You Need an Advance Healthcare Directive?

Control Over Medical Decisions

An advance healthcare directive ensures that you have control over your healthcare decisions even if you can’t make them yourself. Without such a directive, the state or medical professionals may have to make decisions for you, which may not align with your values or desires. By setting up an AHD, you make sure that your healthcare decisions will be guided by your personal preferences.

Relieves the Burden on Loved Ones

In a crisis situation where you cannot communicate your preferences, your family members may be left to make difficult decisions about your medical care. This can be an emotional and stressful burden. An AHD alleviates that burden by providing clear instructions, reducing the uncertainty and potential conflict among family members.

Avoids Unwanted Medical Interventions

An AHD can specifically state your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments, such as mechanical ventilation, tube feeding, and resuscitation efforts. If you have strong beliefs or preferences about certain types of medical interventions—whether you want them or not—your directive will ensure that healthcare providers respect those wishes.

Legal Protection for Your Choices

By creating an advance healthcare directive with the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney, you ensure that your wishes are legally binding. This can protect you from medical professionals or family members who may act against your preferences. It is also a tool that can prevent disputes between loved ones and healthcare providers.

Elements of an Advance Healthcare Directive

An advance healthcare directive typically includes several important components:

Health Care Proxy/Agent

One of the most crucial aspects of an AHD is appointing a healthcare proxy or agent. This individual will have the authority to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you are unable to communicate them. It’s important to choose someone you trust, as they may be faced with making difficult choices in your best interest.

When choosing a healthcare proxy, consider their ability to:

• Understand your personal values and medical preferences
• Make difficult decisions based on your wishes, rather than their own
• Be available and able to act when needed.

Instructions for Medical Treatment

Your AHD can include specific instructions for various medical situations. These may address:

• End-of-life care: Do you want to be kept alive through artificial means if you are terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state?
• Life-sustaining treatment: Do you want CPR or ventilators if you suffer a cardiac arrest or respiratory failure?

These instructions are essential for guiding your healthcare agent and providers when you can’t communicate your desires.

DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Orders

A DNR order can be included as part of your AHD, instructing medical professionals not to perform CPR if your heart stops or you stop breathing. This is an important aspect of healthcare planning for individuals who do not wish to be resuscitated under certain circumstances.

How to Create an Advance Healthcare Directive in Alabama

Creating an advance healthcare directive in Alabama involves several steps, many of which are straightforward but require careful thought. The key steps to creating an AHD include:

• Consult an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney: While it’s possible to create an AHD on your own, working with an experienced attorney ensures that your directive is legally valid and properly executed. In Alabama, the document must be signed in front of witnesses and notarized to be legally binding. At Southern Estate Lawyers, our team will guide you through the process and ensure that all necessary components are included, tailored to your specific needs.
• Appoint Your Healthcare Proxy: Choosing the right healthcare proxy is crucial. Discuss your preferences openly with the person you are appointing to ensure they are willing to take on this responsibility and are clear on your wishes.
• Specify Your Medical Preferences: Once your healthcare proxy is chosen, the next step is to specify your medical preferences. You may want to work with your doctor to understand the available options and the implications of various decisions, so you can make well-informed choices. Be specific about your preferences for life-sustaining treatments, end-of-life care, organ donation, and more.
• Witnesses: In Alabama, your Advance Healthcare Directive must be signed by two disinterested witnesses (individuals who are not your healthcare proxy or family members) to be legally valid. This process ensures that your directive is enforceable and recognized by healthcare providers.
• Review and Update as Needed: Your healthcare preferences may change over time. It’s important to review and update your AHD regularly, especially after major life changes such as health events, surgeries, or changes in your family dynamics. Regular reviews ensure that your directive remains aligned with your current wishes.

Why Choose Southern Estate Lawyers?

Creating an advance healthcare directive is a critical part of planning for the future, but it’s not always easy to navigate alone. At Southern Estate Lawyers, we focus on guiding clients through estate planning and healthcare directives.

We provide detailed legal advice that ensures your AHD reflects your desires accurately and is legally enforceable. Whether you need help understanding specific healthcare options or how to appoint a proxy, our team is here to offer personalized guidance.

We understand that every individual’s situation is unique. We take the time to understand your preferences and values so we can craft a healthcare directive that truly reflects your wishes and protects your rights.

The healthcare directive process can feel overwhelming, but with our experienced attorneys by your side, you can have peace of mind knowing your healthcare decisions are in place, and your wishes will be respected when the time comes.

We don’t just create your AHD and leave you to figure it out on your own. At Southern Estate Lawyers, we offer ongoing support to ensure that your healthcare directive remains current and is properly executed as your circumstances evolve.

Contact Southern Estate Lawyers Today

An advance healthcare directive is an essential part of planning for the future, ensuring that your healthcare preferences are respected, and your family is spared from making difficult decisions on your behalf. The experienced team at Southern Estate Lawyers is here to help you create a comprehensive healthcare directive tailored to your needs.

Contact us today at (205) 990-7000 to schedule a consultation. Let us help you secure your peace of mind and ensure that your healthcare wishes are protected for years to come.