Weatherby & Associates, PC

The Importance of Advanced Directives

Advanced directives written as a result of careful reflectionand discussions with others will help ensure your wishes will befollowed, when the time comes, and will lessen the chance ofquarreling among family members.

The schism experienced by Terri Schiavo's family during herillness and subsequent passing clearly illustrated that having"The Conversation" is a responsible and loving thing to do forindividuals and their families.

Where and When

Conversations about health care directives, powers of attorneyand living wills are difficult to initiate, but very necessary.Registering your documents with Legal Directives Medical AccessProgram will help you begin talking about advanced planning bytelling your family of the documents' existence and theirlocation.

Choose a place which is relaxed and free of distraction; notduring dinner. The focus of the conversation should be on qualityof life, rather than death. Here are some sample questions.

Do you want to avoid machines even though it might mean thatyou will live for a shorter period of time? Or would you preferto live longer with the aid of a machine?

Do you have strongly-held religious beliefs that may influencewhat type of end of life care you wish to have?

Do you wish to be an organ donor? What organs, specifically,do you wish to donate -; or do you want to donate your body to amedical university?

Would you prefer to be hydrated during the dying process? Doyou want to be sedated for pain control or remain alert tocommunicate?

When you pass, would you rather remain at home or be in thehospital?

How are Advance Directives accessed in anEmergency?

Your health care power of attorney - a relative or closefriend - knows your end of life wishes and has agreed to ensurethat they will be carried out. However, healthcare directives andother legal documents are only effective if they are availablewhen needed by those attending to your health care needs. How canthese documents be made available when the time comes for theinstructions to be followed?

The Legal Directives Medical Access Program solves thisproblem. When your documents are needed, you can rest assuredthat your physician, family members and emergency medicalpersonnel will have the instructions in their handsimmediately.

The Legal Directives Medical Access Program provides immediateaccess to all of your important health care documents and medicalinformation, including your:

• Living Will
• Health Care Power of Attorney
• Emergency Contact Information
• Primary Care Physician Information
• Allergies and Medical Conditions

We provide this access by securely storing your health caredocuments and information and then faxing them or making themavailable online, 24 hours a day, from anywhere in the world.

Upon enrolling in our program, you will be mailed a walletcard that can be used by physicians or family members in theevent of an emergency. The physician or family member simplyfollows the instructions on the card and within minutes, uponreceipt of a request, a copy of the health care documents andinstructions to the requesting party will be transmitted tothem.

Be sure to carry your The Legal Directives Medical AccessProgram card with you in your wallet, in front of your healthinsurance card, so that it can be located immediately. Family andfriends should also have copies of your card so that they canretrieve your directives in an emergency.

Front	Back

Healthcare directives and other legal documents are onlyeffective if they are available when needed by those attending toyour health care needs. Most individuals have written healthcareinstructions, such as living wills and health care powers ofattorney, but when the time comes for those instructions to befollowed, they are often difficult to locate.

The Legal Directives Medical Access Program solves thisproblem. When your documents are needed, you can rest assuredthat your physician, family members and emergency medicalpersonnel will have the instructions in their hands

Legal Directives, LLC provides immediate access to all of yourimportant health care documents and medical information,including your:

• Living Will
• Health Care Power of Attorney
• Emergency Contact Information
• Primary Care Physician Information
• Allergies and Medical Conditions

We provide this access by securely storing your health caredocuments and information and then faxing them or making themavailable online, 24 hours a day, from anywhere in the world.

Upon enrolling in our program, you will be mailed a walletcard that can be used by physicians or family members in theevent of an emergency. The physician or family member simplyfollows the instructions on the card and Legal Directives, LLCwill transmit within minutes, upon receipt of a request, a copyof the health care documents and instructions to the requestingparty.

Healthcare Providers and Members - Clickhere to accesssign-in for healthcare directives online.