Do you know what advanced directives are? Do you have your advanced directives in order?
You should!
Advance Directives according to the Google Dictionary are: “a written statement of a person’s wishes regarding medical treatment, often including a living will, made to ensure those wishes are carried out should the person be unable to communicate them to a doctor.”
In NY, there are four advance directives described in “Advance Directives – Making Your Wishes Known and Honored” found on the ag.ny.gov website.
Those four documents include a Health Care Proxy; a Living Will, a Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR), and a Medical Orders for Lift-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) Form. All of which you can fill out and make legal without a lawyer. The link above describes exactly what to do for each document to ensure your wishes are honored under the law.
BRPS ENCOURAGES YOU TO READ THE NYS ADVANCED DIRECTIVES BEFORE FILLING OUT ANY FORMS.
For a copy of the NY approved forms use this link https://health.ny.gov or the links below:
NYS Health Care PROXY
DNR:
Hospital DNR is specific to the hospital you are in
Non-Hospital DNR:
Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST):
Every adult, not just the elderly should ensure that at least one trusted individual knows what your health care wishes are before catastrophe strikes. If you are 18 years or older, you should at least have a Health Care Proxy.
For more information on Advance Directives, visit NYS Advance Directives or visit CaringInfo.org.
Need assistance?
Disclaimer – All links and forms above are as of July 11, 2024. The websites and forms may be updated at any time. BRPS recommends that anyone using the above links compare them to the most recent forms at the respective websites above.