General information
A Health Care Directive (also called an Advance Health Care Directive) is a form that lets you say what kind of medical treatments you do or do not want if you are terminally ill or unconscious and cannot make decisions for yourself. It names a person to speak on your behalf and gives them guidance about your wishes.
Forms and instructions
Washington LawHelp has forms and instructions for:
- Health Care Directive (or Living Will) - form to print and fill out
- Health Care Directive (or Living Will) - online interview that can help you create the completed form to print
- Advance Directive for Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED Directive) - form to print and fill out
- Advance Directive for Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED Directive) - online interview that can help you create the completed form to print
Freewill.com has an online interview that you can use to create a customized form:
Specific directives for mental health include:
- Mental Health Advance Directive from Washington LawHelp
- Living With Dementia Mental Health Advance Directive from EndOfLife WA
If you are seriously ill or in very poor health, a POLST form can be used by your medical provider as a medical order to represent your wishes for future care.
Free eBook about estate planning
How to find estate planning eBooks
Chapter 4 pertains to Living Wills