What Is an Advance Directive?

If your father couldn’t speak for himself tomorrow, who speaks for him — and would they know what to say?

An advance directive is the legal document where a person records their healthcare wishes and names a healthcare agent — the person who makes medical decisions when they cannot. It typically covers: who the agent is (plus a backup), treatment preferences around resuscitation, ventilation, and feeding tubes, and often organ donation and other wishes. How it differs from the documents around it: a financial power of attorney covers money, not medicine — and Maryland’s MOLST form converts wishes into signed medical orders for those with serious illness. Every adult should have an advance directive — Maryland offers free forms, no lawyer required, just proper signatures and witnesses. Then comes the step families skip: talk about it, and hand copies to the agent, the doctor, and the hospital.

Without it, hospitals turn to family consensus — and grieving families disagree. This document isn’t really for your parent. It’s the shield for the people who love them.

This has been Care Without Crisis Explains, presented by Vanguard Care Solutions.

For more free videos and family resources — or when you’re ready to talk about care at home — visit vanguardcaresolutions.com or call 301-327-1444.