Download – Frequently Asked Questions about Advance Directives – (information only)
Download – Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (health care representative form)
Download – Health Care Directive (living will form)

AHA Web Resources for Living Wills

We all intend to plan for the inevitable, but good intentions just aren’t enough when it comes to decisions about our health care.

An Advance Health Care Directive lets your physician, family and friends know your health care wishes including the types of special treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life, your desire for testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation. There are two types of advance directives:

Health Care Directive (living will)

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (health care representative).

Without advance directives, the assumption is that a patient wants full treatment, even if that treatment may be futile.

The time to complete your advance directives is long before illness strikes. For this reason, every person aged 18 or over should prepare a directive. This is the best possible assurance that decisions regarding your future medical care will reflect your own wishes, in the event that you are unable to voice these wishes. Preparation of advance directives remains the surest way to preserve the cherished ideals of personal dignity and personal liberty as well as family values.

Washington State does not require the durable power of attorney for health care (health care representative) be notarized but it does require two witnesses. However, as some states do require notarization, you may want to do so in the event you travel out-of-state.

Once your forms are completed, be sure to make copies for your family and physician, and always remember to bring a copy of your advance directives with you if you are admitted to a hospital.