Both living wills and advance care directives allow you to take control of your medical care even after you lose the ability to communicate, but there are some differences between these two legal documents. Each of these documents covers their own sets of circumstances, so before you fill out one or the other, make sure you know the details of each.
Living Will
A living will is a type of limited advance care directive that allows you to make medical decisions if you have a terminal illness or are in a vegetative state. With a living will, you can make the call as to whether or not you wish to receive life-sustaining procedures, such as blood transfusions, CPR, dialysis, administration of drugs, or the use of a respirator. Even if you already have a living will, it is still a smart idea to have an advance care directive also to keep you covered in every possible scenario.
Advance Care Directive
An advance care directive covers more than a living will. With this directive, you can make decisions about your health if you are terminally ill, are in a vegetative state, or if you are in an end-stage condition (such as having advanced Alzheimer’s disease). An advance care directive also lets you appoint a health care agent, who can take over some of the decision-making for you, but still has your best interests in mind. If you have an advance care directive, you do not need to additionally fill out a living will.
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