Advanced Care Planning
What is Advanced Care Planning?
- Learning about available life sustaining treatment options
- Thinking about your values
- Talking about your decisions
- Documenting your wishes
- Designating a decision maker on your behalf if and when the need were to arise
Why it is important to plan ahead
- When you are unable to speak for yourself
- When sudden illness or accidents happen
- By leaving a guide for others to follow
- By giving peace of mind to loved ones
Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
- Can be anyone over the age of 18
- Can be a family member, loved one or close friend
- Cannot be your personal physician
- Should be someone you trust, knows you well, will advocate for your wishes and will honor your wishes
Living Will
- States what you want and do not want for life sustaining medical treatments at the end of life or if you are permanently unconscious
- May also be called Directive to Physicians, Healthcare Declaration or Medical Directive
- It should reflect your wishes
- Lawyers are not needed
- Not all documents are legally valid in every state
- Your Advanced Directive does not expire, but can be updated or recreated at any time
Downloads
This form lets you have a say about how you want to be cared for if you cannot speak for yourself.
Colorado Advance Health Care Directive Form
This is for medical durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions.
Medical Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions
These Medical Orders are based on the person’s medical condition & wishes.
Colorado Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST)