Many people with a history of mental illness live in fear of what will happen if they lose their ability to make health care decisions. An Advance Directive Durable power of Attorney for Health Care is a legal document that ensures you a voice in health care decisions when an attending physician determies you do not have the capacity to make informed health care decisions. When you develop an Advance Directive Durable power of Attorney for Health Care, you name an agent (trusted friend or family member) to acto on your behalf. It a proactive approach to making your own decisions about your care.
An Advance Directive for Health Care may address such issues as:
Choices of medications you may or may not want to take.
Choices of where treatment is provided.
Preferences about types of treatment (e.g. for or against electroconvulsive treatment).
