Page 3 - Advance Directives Proof

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1 What are Advance Directives?

Generally, there are three kinds of advance directives.
1. Living Will

2. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (DPAHC)
3. Idaho Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST)

Advance directives are legal documents that outline end-of-life requests, and a living
will is a type of advance directive. In a living will, you clarify the types of life-prolonging
medical treatments you would or wouldn’t want, such as artificial feeding, resuscitation
and mechanical breathing, if, for example, you were in a coma.
There are other types of advance directives: a DPAHC (your healthcare proxy), in
which you choose who will make your healthcare decisions for you if you can’t.

A POST is usually for patients in the final year of life with advanced illnesses, or an
advanced stage terminal illness from which the patient is not expected to recover.

2 Are Advance Directives required?

No. Advance directives are always optional. It is up to you and, under Idaho law, you
cannot be charged a different fee if you do or do not have an advance directive.
Having an advance directive is beneficial, though, because it can answer any
questions that might come up about the type of medical treatment you would like
to receive in a situation when you might not be able to communicate your wishes.

3 What will happen if you don’t have an Advance Directive?

You will still receive medical care if you do not have an advance directive, but it
may not be the type of medical care that you want. In many cases, the healthcare
provider will then turn to your family or friends or both for decisions about your
medical care.
4 Who are the best people to speak to about Advance Directives?

End-of-life medical care is a difficult subject to talk to with your loved ones. But,
you should speak to your family, your doctor, friends, and other important people
in your life, such as a member of your church or your attorney. It is important they
are aware of the type of medical care you would like so they can feel comfortable
knowing they’re making decisions based on your wishes.

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