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Advanced Directives
You may want to consider making advanced directives to plan ahead for a time when decisions need to be made about your medical treatment or the use of artificial life support. Advanced directives are written instructions about your health care preferences to be followed if you become unable to make decisions or communicate your desires. You develop these documents while you have the capacity to actively participate in decisions that affect your health care. Documenting your desires in writing will help to assure that your wishes are followed.
Advance directives take two forms:
1. A Living Will is a written advance directive, but according to Missouri State law, it can only be used in cases of terminal illness. It does not allow for the withdrawal of food or fluids, or for another person to make decisions for you.
2. A Durable Power of Attorney allows someone you designate (a surrogate) to be able to make choices for you if you become unable. According to Missouri law, this document allows for withholding artificial food or fluids only if you give your surrogate authority to make these decisions.
Make Your Desires Clear
Communicate your desires clear and document them in writing, in advance, of what you want should you lose the ability to make or communicate medical decisions. Your wishes only can be known and followed if you make and document your wishes in advance.
Resources
For further information on advance directives or ethical assistance in making treatment decisions, call St. Anthony's Social Service department at 314-525-4640.
More information also is available by visiting www.mobar.org (you can download the Missouri Healthcare Directive and Durable Power of Attorney over Healthcare) or www.ago.missouri.gov (Mo. Attorney general's Office: "Life Choices" addresses a variety of end of life issues, including Advance Directives).
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit our find a physician online.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization — and your first choice for health care services.