What is an advance medical directive? What types are available in the United States?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

An advance medical directive is a written statement of a person's desired medical treatment should they become incurably ill. U.S. states recognize two types of advance directives: a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. Sometimes these are combined into one document. In a living will, people specify the treatments they do or do not want in case of a terminal illness, coma, or other near-death situation. In addition, a living will sometimes specifies that pain-relieving medication be given, even though it might shorten life. Because living wills cannot anticipate all future medical conditions and can easily be ignored, a second form of advance directive has become common. The durable power of attorney for health care authorizes appointment of another person (usually, though not always, a family member) to make health-care decisions on one's behalf. The durable power of attorney for health care is more flexible than the living will because it permits a trusted spokesperson to confer with the doctor as medical circumstances arise.