Record Your Wishes
Record Your Wishes
End-of-life planning can provide clarity and peace of mind for both you and your loved ones. We invite you to contact us today to learn more about how we can help, or begin the process right away using our online pre-planning tool, Pre-Arrange Online.
There are many important benefits to making arrangements in advance, including:
- Reducing uncertainty and potential disagreements among family members
- Ensuring your wishes are clearly known and followed
- Preventing confusion or last-minute decision-making
- Providing peace of mind that everything will be handled as you intended
- Relieving your family of difficult decisions during a stressful time
- Allowing thoughtful, unhurried decision-making in advance
- Helping reduce financial stress through pre-planning options
- Offering the opportunity to prepare responsibly for the future
- Ensuring greater confidence that your wishes will be honored
Advance planning is one way to take responsibility for future arrangements, and we also encourage families to consider completing an advance directive as part of preparing for life’s important decisions.
Advance Directives
This time is set aside for family and friends to gather together to say goodbye, while being in the comfort of those closest to them. We can personalize the visitation to be as unique as your loved one with a tribute video, items, or displays that were important to your loved one, or simply with pictures displayed. We will work with your family to design the perfect gathering experience.
What is an Advance Directive?
Sometimes called advance care directives, these documents ensure that your wishes will be carried out in the future.
Defined as "a written statement of a person's wishes regarding medical treatment," advance directives, when properly signed and witnessed, will guide medical and health care decisions in the event the individual becomes incompetent and can no longer make such decisions.
Other Things to Know About Advance Directives
- Advance directives are legally recognized throughout the United States, but requirements vary by state, so it’s important to ensure your documents comply with local laws.
- You do not need an attorney to complete an advance directive.
- If you spend significant time in more than one state, you may want to complete a directive for each applicable state.
- Once signed, an advance directive remains valid until it is replaced with a new one.
- It is recommended that you review your directive periodically to ensure it still reflects your wishes.
- If changes are needed, it is best to complete a new document rather than attempting to amend the existing one.
- In emergency situations, paramedics and EMTs must provide stabilizing care and transport to a hospital.
- Advance directives are typically applied by medical staff once a patient is under hospital care.
What's Involved in Preparing an Advance Directive?
Advance planning for health care decisions involves careful reflection and open discussions with family members about personal values, priorities, and quality of life. As noted by the American Bar Association, it is an ongoing conversation about what matters most in life and how care decisions should reflect those beliefs.
There are also many online resources available to help guide you through the process of creating an advance directive.
Where to Obtain an Advance Directive Form
It's fairly easy to get a copy of the advance care directive form for your state. Your local hospital is a reliable source, as federal law requires every hospital to not only provide information about advance directives to people in their service area, but they are also required to share valuable information about the related laws in your state. Contact your local hospital to learn more. Your family physician may also have advance directive forms available for patients.
You will need to have the advance directive witnessed and notarized. If you do not have access to a notary, you can find one using either of the following websites:
Once your advance directive is completed, signed, witnessed, and notarized, you may wish to upload a copy to your state's advance directive registry. This service allows healthcare providers quick access to your advance directive should they need it. Locate the advance directive registry for your state online or visit the website for the U.S. Living Will Registry.
