Consider an Advance Medical Directive as Part of an Estate Plan

You may be surprised to know that an Ohio estate plan is about more than just passing down your assets. There are other issues to consider about your care while you are still alive. One issue that you need to consider as part of your estate plan is an advance care directive.

This document is your way of speaking for yourself when you may not be able to physically speak. Whether you are facing an emergency or you are not able to communicate for another reason, an advance care directive will lay out your wishes for your medical care. This document can designate someone to make decisions on your behalf or it can set forth your specific directives such as a do-not-resuscitate order. This is something that families often wish that they had in place when difficult decisions need to made and there is no set authority for who can make those choices.

It is best to act now when you are able to spare some burden on your loved ones in more difficult times. Many families struggle to know what their loved one would have wanted had they been able to communicate. It is best to share your wishes with them now, or at least designate someone who you trust to make decisions on your behalf.

There are laws that dictate the process and requirements for an advance medical care directive, and it must be followed in order for the directive to be effective. Families should consult an estate planning attorney for the assistance that they need in drafting this document. The attorney may be able to provide suggestions for various means of implementing the directive.