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“Advance directive” is a term that can refer to various types of legal documents that declare an individual’s wishes for their future medical care.

These documents vary from state to state. You can obtain your state’s basic advance directive forms from many health care providers, eldercare attorneys, state health departments, your local Area Agency on Aging or download them from:

Prepare is a free service that aims to help make medical decision-making easier for people. It can be a good resource for those who need a little help walking through the process.

When creating an advance directive, it's a good idea to consult with your loved one’s doctor, geriatric care manager, or another health care provider who's very familiar with 

When your loved one creates an advance directive, be sure they:

Follow their state’s requirements so that the advance directives will be valid.

Discuss wishes with their health care provider, loved ones, and at least one person who will be able to make decisions for them should they become incapacitated (known as a health care proxy, agent, or representative).

 discussions with the doctor through their 

Some common types of advance directives are described below.

Advance Directive

Our focus here is on helping family caregivers assist a loved one to complete the advance care planning process, but really, any adult in any stage of health should go through the process of advance care planning. After all, none of us knows when an accident or unexpected event can drastically alter life as we know it!

Unfortunately, when tragedy strikes, families are all too often left struggling to figure out what to do – and often, not everyone is on the same page. Headache and heartache abound when family members disagree about how to handle tough situations.

Advance care planning lets your loved one 

make their wishes known in the event that they can no longer speak for themselves

. It makes it much more likely that they will end up receiving the kind of care that they’d like, and it can alleviate a lot of stress and strife among members of the family.

Who is Advance Care Planning Right For?

Once advance care decisions have been made, it’s vital to document them in such a way that they'll be honored by healthcare providers and financial institutions, should the need arise. The major documents you should familiarize yourself with are included here.

How to Document Advance Care Wishes

Helping your loved one with the advance care planning process entails:

Learning about which decisions may need to be made should they become incapacitated

Making decisions about possible future care scenarios

Choosing who can manage finances, if they become incapacitated

Choosing who can make medical decisions, if they become incapacitated

Discussing these decisions and wishes with key loved ones

Documenting the decisions in a legally-binding format

Storing the original documents in a safe-yet-accessible place

Providing copies of the documents to the healthcare proxy, doctor and medical providers, and other key people.

Revisiting the documents/decisions periodically (every 10 years or so, or when there are changes in health or circumstance)

What is the Advance Care Planning Process?

) document grants a person – called an agent – authority to act on your loved one’s behalf. This could allow the agent to manage bank accounts, sell property, file taxes and handle other financial matters. POAs are sometimes limited to specific matters or to a specific period of time.

A “durable” power of attorney remains in effect even if your loved one becomes mentally incapacitated.

A durable POA won’t allow the agent to make medical decisions about your loved one’s health. They’ll need a Healthcare Power of Attorney for that.

A durable power of attorney for healthcare names the person who can make medical decisions for your loved one in the event that they become unable to do so for themselves. The person they name is called their health care proxy, representative, surrogate, or agent.

Your loved one should NOT just choose whoever happens to live closest to act as their proxy. It’s important to choose the right person for the job. The person selected should:

be willing and able to advocate for them if needed.

 is a legal document that describes which types of medical treatments your loved one would – or wouldn't – want to be used to keep them alive should they become terminally ill or permanently unconscious.

Each state has its own forms and rules regarding exactly what’s covered in a living will. Generally, they address areas such as:

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the heart has stopped beating

Use of tube feeding (and for how long) if unable to eat or drink

Dialysis to remove waste from the body if kidneys aren’t able to do so

Antibiotic or antiviral medication to fight infections

 (supporting comfort as the end of life nears)

 is a document intended for individuals who are seriously ill, very frail, or near the end of their life. It is an order that must be signed by a health care provider such as a doctor or nurse practitioner. The POLST instructs other health care providers – such as paramedics or hospital staff – to refrain from life-sustaining treatment, such as CPR.

The forms vary from state to state. In some 

, such as POST, MOLST, or MOST. They aren’t yet fully available in every location. You can find out more at the National 

, or talk to your loved one’s doctor about whether a POLST is available in your area, and whether it would be appropriate in your loved one’s case.

Types of Advance Directives

There are many reasons people don’t create advanced care plans – they don’t want to think about death or dying, they’re confused about the process, or they simply don’t know about it. However, there really isn’t any reason that they shouldn’t.

Like creating a will or trust, because the unforeseen can happen at any time, starting the 

 as early as possible is strongly recommended.

If your loved one hasn’t yet done this, it should rank high on the list of priorities. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to help walk you both through the process.

Why Shouldn’t My Loved One Create an Advance Care Plan?

Explore our comprehensive guide on Advance Care Planning. Learn how to prepare, document, and communicate medical wishes for your loved ones, ensuring their care preferences are respected. Ideal for family caregivers at any health stage.

Complete Guide to Advance Care Planning for Family Caregivers

This article provides an overview of the various options available to pay for senior living, including insurance strategies, tapping into home equity, and taking advantage of government assistance programs.

Long-term care insurance, hybrid insurance policies, life insurance with an LTC rider, and annuities are all options to pay for senior care.

Reverse mortgages and liquidating assets are other ways to pay for senior living.

Veterans have access to a range of benefits and programs, and Medicaid covers long-term care for those with very little income and assets.

Article Summary

Aside from using personal savings, other ways to pay for 

 include various insurance strategies, tapping into home equity, or taking advantage of government assistance programs.

Life insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuities are often used to pay for senior care.

 can offset the costs of long-term care but it generally must be purchased quite a bit before it’s needed – it gets very expensive as people age or develop serious health conditions. Policies don’t always cover care in every type of senior living setting, so look closely at the terms of each specific policy.

combine life insurance and long-term care insurance so you can pass a death benefit on to a beneficiary if you don’t end up needing long-term care. Most hybrid policies are more limited than traditional LTC insurance, covering only five years of long-term care payments.

Life Insurance with an LTC Rider or Accelerated Benefits 

allows you to access life insurance benefits early if needed to cover long-term care expenses.

are special contracts with insurance companies. They provide a reliable stream of income and assistance over time in exchange for an upfront lump-sum payment. Different types of annuities exist for different circumstances, such as paying for long-term care or planning for 

Many seniors sell or rent out their homes in order to pay for senior care. In some cases, they get creative – for example, by selling to a family member who, in turn, rents it back to them.

are loans for older homeowners who owe little or nothing on their primary residence. A reverse mortgage provides a lump sum or monthly income that can be used to pay for needs like long-term care. Instead of making payments on the loan, it gets larger over time. You pay back the entire amount borrowed, plus any upfront and ongoing fees when you die, sell the home or move out.

Selling artwork, jewelry, collectibles, extra vehicles, or other assets can sometimes provide enough cash to cover long-term care needs.

have access to a range of benefits and programs. Some offset the costs of long-term care and others provide board and care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, or other senior living settings.

covers long-term care for individuals who have very little income and very few assets – provided they haven’t compromised their eligibility by giving away assets, for example. Many seniors plan ahead for Medicaid eligibility or engage in complicated Medicaid planning strategies in order to keep their spouse out of poverty or protect certain assets to pass on to their loved ones. Can be a good route for assistance.

What Are My Options to Pay for Senior Care

The national average cost of care per month (Genworth Cost of Care Survey, 2021):

Period (hourly, daily, monthly, or annually)

A different number of weekly home care hours

How Much Does Senior Assisted Living Cost?

Struggling with the costs of senior care? Discover comprehensive finance options and assistance programs to support caregivers and their loved ones.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor Amy Schielack

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Need help caring for an elder loved one? We've got you covered.

First step to helping your loved ones is to learn

Complete Guide to Advance Care Planning for Family Caregivers

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Compensating Family Caregivers: Understanding Medicaid-Friendly Personal Care Agreements

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