The Power and Need for Advanced Directives Beyond Terminal Situations

What are Advanced Directives?

Advanced Directives are legal documents that let you outline your preferences for medical treatment should you become unable to communicate your wishes due to illness, injury, or incapacitation.

Advanced Directives have traditionally been associated with end-of-life care, particularly in terminal situations. But the need for advanced directives extends far beyond this narrow focus. We learned this back in the early days of COVID-19. It’s clear how important it is to have this type of guidance spelled out. Loved ones need this considering a wide range of healthcare circumstances, not just at the end of life.

Non-Terminal Strokes, Alzheimer’s Disease and Severe Accidents

An advanced directive empowers you to express your preferences for medical treatment, procedures, and interventions. This is particularly important when facing complex medical situations where significant uncertainty exists. This is a common occurrence in severe accidents, strokes, or conditions resulting in a prolonged state of unconsciousness or cognitive impairment.

One of the primary reasons advanced directives are crucial is the autonomy they provide.

When it comes to healthcare, you have the right to determine the care you receive. However, should you be rendered incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself, family members, doctors, and hospital staff are left to make difficult decisions about life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation efforts, and the extent of medical interventions. These decisions can be guided more effectively when you have completed an advanced directive for healthcare. This ensures that care decisions align with your values and desires. This way, they’re not based on assumptions or subjective interpretations by loved ones or healthcare professionals.

For instance, what if you were to suffer a severe brain injury or stroke? What if you were left in a vegetative state or minimally conscious state for an extended period? In such cases, decisions about whether to continue life support, administer aggressive treatments, or transition to palliative care are complex and fraught with ethical dilemmas. An advanced directive alleviates some of the ambiguity. It offers clear guidance. It outlines whether you wish to be kept alive through artificial means or if you would rather have the option to die naturally, without invasive interventions.

Additionally, those with degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease need an advanced directive. It outlines their preferences for treatment and end-of-life care as their condition progresses. This ensures their values are respected and reduces the burden on family members. Otherwise, these family members might be forced to make these difficult decisions on their behalf.

Autonomy For You – Peace Of Mind For Loved Ones

By creating an advanced directive, you keep the power to make health care decisions in your hands. You also give peace of mind for family members and healthcare providers. By making wishes clear ahead of time, you relieve family members from being forced into positions where they must make life-altering decisions under extreme stress. Healthcare providers also benefit from knowing their patients’ wishes in advance, as it allows them to navigate complex cases with greater confidence and clarity, ensuring that treatment plans align with the patient’s desires.

The power of advanced directives lies in the freedom they offer individuals to plan for their future, ensuring their dignity and autonomy are maintained, even when they are unable to speak for themselves. If you are ready to create an advanced directive, give my office a call at (470) 235-7865.

Looking to find an experienced estate lawyer in the Georgia area who is skilled in asset protection and estate plan preparation? Shannon Pawley is an attorney in Georgia with expertise in estate planning and asset protection. Shannon can provide assistance with creating an estate plan to include making a will and how to establish a trust properly. If you have questions about asset protection or questions about making an estate plan, reach out to Shannon and she will be glad to help answer all the estate planning questions you might have!

Connect With Us

Strategy Session

Stacy McKenzie

21:58 07 Feb 24

Shannon and her team were great. Went in for a consultation and got my money worth. She explained and made sure we understood. I will be using them in the future.

Diane J

23:10 24 Jan 24

Waheed Hamid

18:55 17 Dec 23

We had excellent service from Shannon and her team, they are true professionals and helped us and explained every step in the process. We highly recommend The Estate and Asset Protection Law Firm.

Virgil Price Young

20:16 18 Jul 23

Stephanie Deal

15:22 07 Jul 23

My father and I recently used the estate, an asset protection, law, firm for new wheels, new, power of attorney’s, and a creation of a trust. Brooke and her entire team could not have been more helpful and more professional! We loved working with them, and they took everything seriously therefore I didn’t have to worry about a thing. I highly recommend everyone at the law firm.

Barry Amos

01:22 01 Jul 23

Great firm. Had answers to all our questions and explained everything clearly. Never felt rushed to make a decision Could not ask for a better experience. Every one we dealt with was professional and knowledgeable. We highly recommend this firm for estate planning.

Lee Jay

21:30 28 Jun 23

Shannon provided invaluable information regarding a family estate matter. Although her firm did not quite fit our immediate needs, the consultation was informative and extremely HELPFUL! Shannon clearly explained what our next steps should be and offered to assist if we had any questions along the way. Her expertise and willingness to help puts her in a league of her own!

Alice Guppy

02:01 23 Jan 23

Shannon and everyone at The Estate and Asset Protection Law Firm are professional, very knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. They answered all our questions in great detail and the plan they developed for us is exactly what we need to protect our assets and estate as we age especially with my husband's health issues.

Lynn McKibbin-Moore

23:09 24 Feb 22

My husband has dementia. This firm has been patient, kind and professional while we went through a move from a house of 37 years in to a condo to be closer to my daughter and her husband. (Miami to Atlanta). There was also a wedding. All in 6 months.We now have a trust, power of attorney. Wills for my daughter and her husband and more. All at a fair price. I could not recommend higher.

Tammy Lee

22:03 29 Jan 22

Shannon Pawley and her team are exceptional at helping families navigate tough situations. We began working with her upon finding out my father had Stage 4 kidney cancer. His decline was more rapid than expected.Attorney Pawley and her entire team expedited paperwork that allowed me to focus on my father’s care, make decisions that suddenly needed to be made for him medically and financially, and has allowed me the ability to focus more on grieving and less on legal matters upon his passing.It is obvious she is knowledgeable about the best ways to navigate estates to protect the assets for the owners and their loved ones. It is just as obvious that she is passionate and has true heart for what her clients go through.We will be using her for own estate needs, and I recommend her expertise to everybody I can.This service is worth every penny we paid as it has saved us more money and time than I could imagine.

H Jessie Brewer

18:26 18 Nov 21

Attorney Shannon Pawley and paralegal Alexis McCoy are legal professionals that my wife and I highly recommend. Their grasp of the Georgia law pertaining to Medicaid assistance and the interworking's of the State department is exceptional. Additionally, their client-attorney relationship skills are excellent. We wouldn't hesitate to use this law firm again should the need arise.

Dawn Hardy

15:06 13 Nov 21

Shannon and her team are the best! They listened to my needs and provided the best advice. They are patient and professional as well as personable, they didn't make me feel like I was just another client. Highly recommend!