Advanced Directives

Advanced Directives: What are they and do I really need them?
 Five Types of Advance Directives in New York State:

•  Health Care Proxy lets you appoint a healthcare agent -- that is, someone you trust to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to make decisions for yourself.
•  A Living Will allows you to leave written instructions that explain your health care wishes, especially about end-of-life care. You cannot use a Living Will to name a health care agent; you must use a Health Care Proxy.
•  A Living Will together with a Health Care Proxy lets you state your health care wishes and name a health care agent.
•  A Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR) only lets you express your wish to do without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - that is, emergency treatment to restart your heart and lungs if your heartbeat or breathing stops.
• Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) are one way of documenting a patient's treatment preferences concerning life-sustaining treatment.