Advance Health Care Directive

An Advance Health Care Directive spells out your wishes regarding the end of your life.

Alaska Advanced Health Care Directive

At the Law Office of Constance A. Aschenbrenner, one of our primary goals for visitors to our website, is to provide answers to some of the questions we hear most often. Knowledge is power and we want all of our Alaska friends and neighbors to make informed choices in matters involving the well-being of their families. On this page, we’ll explain Alaska Advance Health Care Directives.

An Advance Health Care Directive spells out your wishes regarding the end of your life. An Advance Health Care Directive is a crucial part of everyone’s life – no matter your financial status – because they remove any legal uncertainty about your future and allow you to enjoy life and your family to the fullest.

There are a number of reasons for having an Advance Health Care Directive.

These include:

  • Designating who you want to make medical decisions for you, should you be incapacitated is important to do now.  It ensures that your medical decisions are not made by someone you don’t know, and who doesn’t have your family or your well-being in mind.
  • Reduces disagreements within the family. Once you’ve put your wishes in legal form, the opportunity for objection ends. Your Advance Health Care Directive may not be wildly appreciated by every member of your family, but it will represent you and keep the peace.
  • Eases the burden of decision-making for caretakers. This is a big one. Caretaking in and of itself is physically and emotionally daunting. When you combine that with trying to discern what they think you want – and the fear of making the wrong choice – the job becomes almost unbearable. Caregivers are often put in the position of answering to family members, so don’t make their job tougher. Get your Advance Health Care Directive drafted.
  • Allows you to decline any treatments you wouldn’t want before the subject comes up.
  • Provides a sense of security by allowing you to anticipate challenges that may come up. Planning is everything – in life and in sports. If you have health conditions that may be chronic, this is the time to decide how to successfully navigate these in the years ahead. Practical, well-considered steps now can ensure you get the most out of your golden years and maintain the lifestyle and activity level you desire.
  • Gives you the opportunity to plan for medical care expenses in advance. The cost of healthcare is constantly on the rise. The good news is that there are more options to address costs than ever before.

Of the reasons for having an Advance Health Care Directive, protecting your family from the weight of making difficult decisions is probably the most important. Of course, you will want to discuss this topic with them ahead of time to eliminate any surprises, especially in the case of an accident or sudden critical illness.

Remember, you can change your mind about any provision covered in your Advance Health Care Directive, at any time. No need to worry about making a choice you’ll regret later. Your Advance Health Care Directive can be modified and updated as your life changes. Make sure your healthcare providers receive updated versions of your plan.

AK Wills & Trusts Can Help With Your Alaska Advanced Health Care Directive

You will benefit from talking to an Alaska estate planning attorney like me, Constance A. Aschenbrenner, to make sure you understand all aspects of your Advance Health Care Directive. Just like people, no two directives are alike. They are as unique as the clients they protect. An attorney specializing in Advance Health Care Directives and Alaska estate planning law can make sure your wishes are spelled out, properly communicated and legally recorded.

Advance Health Care Directives are an important part of your healthcare plan. Once yours has been created, you should make copies and share them with your doctors, close family and your care providers.

If you are a part-time resident of Alaska, here are some important things to remember about Alaska Health Care Directives:

  • Advance directives are regulated differently in every state. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced attorney prepare your advance directive in the state where you reside.
  • If you live in more than one state – say, Alaska in the summer and Florida in winter – you will need to have directives on file in each state you live in.

We hope you have discovered a number of important reasons for having an Advance Health Care Directive. There are no downsides. In the event of a crisis, you will save those you love from a great deal of wear and tear and provide an important guide for the medical professionals who may be involved in your care and treatment.

Ready To Talk About Your Reasons for Having An Advance Health Care Directive ?

Contact us and we will happily walk you through it.

Our founder, Constance A. Aschenbrenner, has worked in Alaska since 1996 in different legal roles, including private, corporate, and state practice. She created the Law Office of Constance A. Aschenbrenner in July, 2008. Serving the people of Alaska is her passion, and she finds fulfillment in helping them succeed.

Tap into the wealth of knowledge from an experienced Alaska Estate Planning Attorney. Our mission at the Law Office of Constance A. Aschenbrenner is to empower Alaska residents, one client at a time.

Contact The Law Office of Constance Aschenbrenner to talk to an experienced estate planning expert. 

Understanding Advance Directives Your Path to a Secure Future
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