Advance directives are legal documents that allow people to decide what medical care they wish to have if they are unable to make those decisions for themselves.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow people to decide what medical care they wish to have if they are unable to make those decisions for themselves.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only valid when a patient is terminally ill
• D. They apply only to financial matters

Answer: (A)

Advance directives are legal documents that let a person decide what medical care they want if they’re unable to speak for themselves. They can specify preferences about treatments like resuscitation, life-sustaining measures, and end-of-life care, and may also appoint a health-care proxy to make decisions on their behalf. These directives protect the patient’s autonomy and guide clinicians even when the person can’t communicate their wishes. They’re not limited to those who are terminally ill; people can create advance directives at any age or stage to plan for potential incapacity. They pertain to medical care, not finances—that is handled by separate documents. If an advance directive exists, it should be followed; if none is available, decisions are guided by surrogate decision-makers and applicable laws or policies.

Advance directives are legal documents that let a person decide what medical care they want if they’re unable to speak for themselves. They can specify preferences about treatments like resuscitation, life-sustaining measures, and end-of-life care, and may also appoint a health-care proxy to make decisions on their behalf. These directives protect the patient’s autonomy and guide clinicians even when the person can’t communicate their wishes.

They’re not limited to those who are terminally ill; people can create advance directives at any age or stage to plan for potential incapacity. They pertain to medical care, not finances—that is handled by separate documents. If an advance directive exists, it should be followed; if none is available, decisions are guided by surrogate decision-makers and applicable laws or policies.