Advance Care Planning: Ensure Your Health Care Wishes Are Known
Advance Care Planning is for every adult—regardless of age or health status. It’s a powerful way to make sure your personal values and health care decisions are honored if you’re ever unable to speak for yourself. Riverside Health is here to help you take the next step in preparing for the unexpected.
Frequently Asked Questions About Advance Care Planning
There are a number of forms and resources available to help you and your loved ones document your wishes for end-of-life care, and to designate a surrogate decision maker in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself.
An advance directive is a legal document that outlines your medical care preferences in case you are unable to make decisions for yourself. It serves as a roadmap for your loved ones and health care providers, helping them honor your wishes with clarity and confidence.
An advance directive typically includes:
Living Will: Specifies the medical treatments you would or would not want.
Medical Power of Attorney: Appoints a trusted person—your health care agent—to make decisions on your behalf.
📝 In Virginia, your advance directive must be signed by two witnesses but does not need to be notarized.
A Living Will is a written record of your preferences for medical treatment, particularly at the end of life. It goes into effect only if you can’t make your own health care decisions. Once signed with witnesses, it becomes a legal document that guides your care team and loved ones.
The Medical Power of Attorney (also known as a health care proxy or health care agent) allows you to legally designate someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to do so. This person should be:
Age 18 or older
Someone you trust, such as a family member or close friend
A person who understands your values and feels comfortable making health decisions on your behalf
It’s also wise to appoint a secondary agent in case your primary choice becomes unavailable.
A DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order is written by a provider to prevent CPR in a medical facility. It must be signed by a doctor and is typically valid only within that facility.
A DDNR (Durable Do Not Resuscitate) order is designed to communicate your CPR preferences to emergency medical services (EMS) and other providers outside of a hospital setting. It does not expire and can only be revoked by the patient.
⚠️ Virginia EMS cannot honor a living will or DNR from another state.
A Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is a medical order for individuals who are seriously ill or frail. It provides clear instructions to emergency providers about life-sustaining treatments like CPR. The form must be signed by:
You (or your health care agent)
Your provider
The person who helped complete the form
Yes. Your Advance Directive can also document preferences for:
Organ donation
Cremation or burial
Any other personal or spiritual values
If these aren’t included in your directive, you can write them down separately and store them with your documents.
Understanding Life-Sustaining Treatments
Life-sustaining treatments are used to keep you alive when your body can’t function on its own. These can include:
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): Chest compressions or medications to restart your heart or breathing
Intubation (DNI orders): A breathing tube to help you breathe
Artificial Nutrition and Hydration: Medical feeding and fluids if you can’t eat or drink
Tips for Managing Your Advance Directive
Share copies with your health care agent, family, and your medical providers.
Bring a copy to the hospital.
Store it in a safe but accessible place—avoid lockboxes or safes that others can’t open.
Update your documents as your health or wishes change, and make sure others are aware of the updates.
Start the Conversation Today
Advance Care Planning brings peace of mind to you and your loved ones. Take the first step toward making your health care wishes known.
👉 Get started with the resources you need here.
📄 For questions about completing your advance directive talk to your Primary Care Physician or call Riverside Nurse. 800-675-6368
Understanding Advance Care Planning with Riverside’s Dr. Shivers
