An advance health care directive gives a trusted person authority to make health care decisions if you cannot communicate and lets you record the values or instructions that should guide those decisions.

Choose an agent who can act under pressure

Your agent may need to speak with physicians, weigh treatment options, review records, and communicate with family members during an emotional time. Choose someone who understands your priorities, can ask questions, and is willing to carry out your wishes even when others disagree.

Name backups

Your first choice may be unavailable, ill, traveling, or unable to serve. Naming one or more alternate agents helps the document remain useful when circumstances change.

Instructions should start a conversation

The form can address preferences about life-sustaining treatment, pain relief, organ donation, disposition of remains, and other matters. But written language cannot anticipate every diagnosis. Talk with your agent about independence, comfort, faith, family, and what quality of life means to you.

Make the directive available

A document no one can find may not help in an emergency. Give appropriate copies to your agent and health care providers, and tell close family members where the current version is kept.

Review it when life changes

Revisit the directive after a diagnosis, marriage, divorce, death of an agent, or a change in your beliefs or relationships. Gene Gleason helps clients coordinate health care instructions with the rest of their California estate plan.

This article provides general information and is not medical or legal advice.

Related from Gene: powers of attorney and health care directives · estate planning. Questions about your own family? Please schedule a consultation with Gene.