Completing Your Health Care Directive
To make sure your wishes are known even if you can’t speak for yourself, complete a Health Care Directive and chose a health care agent. A Care Partners Care Coordinator can help you understand the choices or complete the form. Care Partners staff can also mail out forms, help you complete them on-line and assist you in making sure it’s on file at the clinic and hospital. The Whitney Senior Center also offers Zoom classes with Advance Care Planning Facilitators who can walk you through the Light the Legacy/Honoring Choices Health Care Directive, answer any questions and assist you in properly filling out this important document (see link below.)
Step One: Think about what is important to you regarding your healthcare and quality of life. You may wish to talk this over with your family, trusted friends, or medical advisers. Consider your preferences for medical care should you become unable to speak for yourself. For example, would you want your health care provider to use whatever measures are available to treat you, including transporting you to Duluth or to the nearest ICU bed, or putting you on a ventilator? Would you prefer to focus treatment on comfort care or whatever treatments can be provided locally or in your home? Do you want to let your agent make the decision with your provider's advice, based on your condition and available treatment options?
Step Two: Download and complete a directive using the links below. If you want to quickly fill out a health care directive, consider choosing the short form. It lets you just name a health care agent and alternative agent, and add a few comments. If you would like to take more time to work through your values, wishes and choices for medical treatments you can choose the long form option.
Step Three: In order for your directive to be a legal document, it must be notarized OR signed by two adult witnesses. If you have the document notarized, wait to sign it until the notary instructs you to do so. Many banks and credit unions offer free notary services to their customers. If you choose to use two witnesses instead of a notary, remember that the person you designate as your Agent CANNOT also be one of your witnesses.
Step Four: Keep your original completed Health Care Directive where it can be easily found, and make sure to give copies to your designated Agent as well as your health care providers. Click here for how to submit copies to local health care providers. You may also want to give a copy to family or close friends, your personal attorney, or a faith leader.
Light the Legacy - Guide to Completing a Health Care Directive
Light the Legacy - Long Form Health Care Directive
Light the Legacy - Short Form Health Care Directive
Whitney Senior Center Health Care Directive Online Class