Plan Ahead for the Conversations That Matter Most
Your Medical Preferences
Which treatments would you want started, stopped, or never used? Think through CPR, ventilation, nutrition, and hydration before someone else has to decide.
Your Quality of Life
What does a good day look like to you? Define the activities, abilities, and level of comfort that matter most.
Your Values and Beliefs
Your faith, culture, and personal values shape how you want to be cared for. Make sure the people making decisions for you understand them.
Your Healthcare Proxy
Choose someone you trust deeply to speak for you when you cannot. Talk to them about your wishes and make sure they are willing to advocate for you.
Your End-of-Life Care
Home, facility, or hospital? Decide where you want to be and what comfort measures matter most while you are still able to choose.
The Paperwork That Protects You
A living will or advance directive puts your wishes in writing. In Alabama, you must be at least 19 to complete one, and you do not need a lawyer.
Alabama Advance Directive
What You Need to Know
Alabama law allows you to document your healthcare wishes through an Advance Directive for Health Care. You do not need a lawyer to complete one.
- Must be at least 19 years old to complete an advance directive
- Three options available: living will, healthcare proxy, and/or durable power of attorney for health care
- Requires two witnesses who are not family members, beneficiaries, or responsible for your medical care
- Can be changed at any time as long as you can speak for yourself
- Two additional Alabama options: Order for Pediatric Palliative and End of Life Care, and Portable DNR (via adph.org/ems/forms)
Source: Alabama Hospital Association brochure + Alabama Advance Directive for Health Care (official form) + Alabama Medicaid Rule 560-X-28-.02
Advance Care Planning Resources
Your care team cannot honor your wishes if they do not know what they are. An advance directive puts them in writing so there is no guessing when it matters most.
Start early. Start before a crisis. Start with one conversation.
Medicare Advance Care Planning Fact Sheet
Medicare coverage and billing information (CMS)
Frequently Asked Questions
An advance directive is a legal document that tells your doctor and family what kind of medical care you want if you become too sick or hurt to speak for yourself. In Alabama, you must be at least 19 years old to complete one. You do not need a lawyer, but you do need two witnesses who are not related to you and not entitled to any part of your estate.
A living well (also known as an advance directive) allows you to decide the types of medical interventions you would want or not want should you become seriously ill. This may include your wishes for feeding tubes, or breathing tubes or other types of medical treatment.
A healthcare proxy is a person designated by you to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to communicate your wishes. If you do not chose a healthcare proxy, the decision as to who will speak for you is determined by relationship.
Advance Care Planning should be considered once a person is an adult (typically 18 years old or older). The first decision that should be considered is the appointment of a healthcare proxy – a person to speak for you if you are unable to speak for yourself. In addition you may wish to make decisions regarding the type of life prolonging care you would want to receive if you were in an accident or if you had a life limiting illness.
Absolutely! Advance Care Planning should be reviewed frequently as you age and as your health changes. It is important to make these plans before you are faced with a healthcare crisis. Doing so ensures that you have had end-of-life care discussions. Advance Directives are a roadmap for your physician and your loved ones to help you receive the type of care you would want if you are unable to speak for yourself.
The Alabama Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is dedicated to helping people discuss advance care planning at any stage. Understanding healthcare options when faced with an accident or critical illness is important before being faced with a crisis.
AHPCO members are willing to help patients and families with the resources to have these conversations early and often.
