Foundations of Advance Directives and Living Wills

An advance directive is one of the most important documents most adults will never write. It tells doctors what to do if you cannot speak for yourself, and it tells the people you love what choices to make on your behalf. Without it, families face hard decisions without clear guidance and sometimes without legal authority. This foundational course explains the documents and how they fit together. By the end of this course you will be able to describe the major advance directive documents, explain how they interact with one another and with state law, distinguish what each document can and cannot do, and identify the conversations that should accompany the paperwork. What you will learn: - The function of a living will and what it specifies about treatments - The role of a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney as the person who decides for you - How a DNR order differs from a living will and where it is signed - How POLST and MOLST forms add medical orders that travel across settings - How state-by-state variation affects forms and requirements - How values, faith, and family considerations shape the choices these documents capture - Common mistakes: vague language, no chosen proxy, documents nobody can find, never revisited The course uses readings, document walkthroughs, and reflection prompts. Each module ends with questions that you can take into your own decisions and conversations with family. This course is written for adults who want to put their own directives in place and for those helping a parent or spouse do the same. By the end you will have replaced vague worry about end-of-life decisions with a clear understanding of the documents, their interactions, and the conversations that make them effective.