Why You Need Advanced Directives… Once You Turn Eighteen

Having advanced directives is important for several key reasons once you turn eighteen. Eighteen is the legal age for health care emancipation:

1. **Ensures your wishes are followed**: Advanced directives allow you to specify your medical preferences in situations where you're unable to communicate, such as during severe illness, unconsciousness, or incapacitation. This ensures that your healthcare aligns with your values and desires.

2. **Reduces family burden**: When families are faced with making difficult healthcare decisions on you behalf without knowing your preferences, it can lead to stress, conflict, and guilt. Having your wishes documented in advance alleviates this emotional burden.

3. **Prevents unwanted treatments**: Without advanced directives, healthcare providers may administer treatments or interventions that you might not want, such as life-prolonging measures that could affect your quality of life. Advanced directives prevent such unwanted procedures.

4. **Supports autonomy**: By creating an advanced directive, you maintain control over your healthcare decisions even when you're unable to voice them, thereby preserving your autonomy in the medical decision-making process.

5. **Legally binding guidance**: Advanced directives serve as legal documents that guide healthcare professionals and institutions, ensuring that your instructions are followed in line with state laws.

6. **Appoints a healthcare proxy**: In addition to outlining medical preferences, advanced directives often include the appointment of a healthcare power of attorney (or proxy), who can make decisions on your behalf if needed. This person will act according to your documented wishes. This person will make sure your voice is heard even when you’ve lost it.

In summary, advanced directives provide clarity, peace of mind, and respect for your personal choices during medical crises, benefiting both you and your loved ones.