Health Care Directives: Protect Your Medical Wishes

Last updated on March 2, 2026

Planning for future health care decisions can be daunting, but it is vital to help ensure your wishes are respected in times of crisis. Health care directives, also known as advance directives, allow you to outline your medical treatment preferences if you cannot communicate them yourself. If you are looking for Georgia health care directives tailored to your goals, a health care directive attorney can help you put the right documents in place.

Baskin & Baskin, P.C., is a boutique firm specializing in domestic law. Representing clients in Northern Georgia for over four decades, attorney Carol Baskin will work with you to understand your needs and goals. As a Marietta estate planning attorney, she provides guidance and support throughout the journey.

Key Elements Of A Health Care Directive

A health care directive (often called an advance directive) is a set of documents that explains your treatment preferences and identifies who can speak for you if you can’t communicate. Common parts of a directive include the following:

Living Wills

A living will puts your medical wishes in writing and is typically used when you are seriously ill or permanently unconscious and unable to make decisions. It can address whether you want life-sustaining treatment (such as a ventilator or feeding tube) continued or withheld, and it can also outline your preferences for comfort care and pain management. Having a living will helps reduce uncertainty and conflict during emotionally difficult moments.

Durable Power Of Attorney For Health Care

A durable power of attorney for health care authorizes someone you trust to make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated. Unlike a living will, which is limited to the situations you describe, this document gives your agent flexibility to respond to unexpected circumstances and speak with doctors on your behalf. We can help you learn more about creating a power of attorney.

Decisions To Include In Your Directive

• CPR and resuscitation preferences
• Use of ventilators, dialysis or other life-support measures
• Artificial nutrition and hydration (feeding tubes and IV fluids)
• Pain relief, palliative care and comfort-focused treatment
• Hospital vs. home or hospice care preferences
• Organ and tissue donation
• Religious or personal beliefs that should guide care decisions

Including these details can help your loved ones and medical team avoid guesswork and better honor your values. If there are treatments you feel strongly about, consider adding clear examples and any limits you want applied.

Appointing A Health Care Proxy

A health care proxy (sometimes called a health care agent) is the person you choose to communicate with your medical providers and make decisions when you cannot. It is important to select someone who understands your values, can remain calm under pressure, and is willing to advocate for your wishes – even if others disagree. You may also want to name a backup proxy in case your first choice is unavailable when decisions must be made.

How To Create A Health Care Directive

Creating a health care directive involves thoughtful consideration of your values and medical preferences. It is good to take the time to discuss your wishes with your loved ones and your chosen healthcare proxy.

Preparing a health care directive is about documenting your wishes and ensuring those involved in your care understand and respect your decisions.

A Marietta estate planning lawyer can guide you through this process, helping you think through various scenarios and confirming that your directive is clear and legally enforceable.

Why Work With An Attorney On Advance Directives?

While using online forms or DIY methods to create a health care directive may be tempting, working with an attorney provides invaluable benefits. A health care directive attorney can help you understand the complex legal and medical considerations, ensuring your documents meet state requirements and accurately reflect your wishes.

They can also assist in reviewing and updating your documents as your circumstances or preferences change – an important step for anyone maintaining Georgia health care directives over time.

Creating a health care directive is critical to safeguarding your future health care decisions. At Baskin & Baskin, P.C., attorney Carol Baskin can guide you through the process and help ensure your wishes are honored. Call 770-679-3568 complete this online form to schedule a free consultation.