1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
An advanced directive is a written or spoken statement about how a person wants medical decisions made if he or she can’t make them. Advance directives do not expire. Only you can change them. They do not have to be notorized to be legal in Florida.
Florida recognizes two main elements to an Advance Directive.
A Living Will The purpose of this document is to direct your healthcare choices concerning the withholding or withdrawal of life prolonging procedures in the event you should have a terminal condition. This document has to be signed by two adults, with one not being your blood relative or spouse.
Designation of a Healthcare Surrogate (DHCS)
This is a legal document which allows you to appoint another person to make medical decisions for you if you should become temporarily or permanently unable to make decisions yourself. You can appoint almost any adult to be your surrogate. You should select a person(s) knowledgeable about your wishes, values, and religious beliefs. This document also has to be signed by two adults, with one not being your blood relative or spouse. There are other advance directives that can be legally arranged which include a Durable Power of Attorney, Do Not Resuscitate Order, and Organ Donation.
This is a very brief overview of Florida Advance Directives. I encourage everyone to consider Advance Directives that were put into place to protect your rights and wishes when you may not be able to express them.
One resource to explore this subject is at Myclevlandclinic.org.
God Bless. Nurse Barb
