ADRC Midlands

Advance Directives

Advance Directives are legally binding documents that specify the type of medical treatment the person does or does not want to be given in the event they are unable to express their wishes at the time of treatment. The purposes of advance directives are to provide a clear statement of your wishes and desires and instructions to others about your care. The best time to fill out an Advance Directive is before you face a health crisis.
The Living Will, Health Care Power Of Attorney, and Five Wishes are three types of advance directives in South Carolina.

A Living Will is a document that allows you to tell your doctor what to do if you are permanently unconscious or if you are terminally ill and close to death. A living will allows you to declare your desire to die a natural death, instead of having your life prolonged indefinitely by artificial or extraordinary means.

A Health Care Power of Attorney is another document that allows you to give instructions for your future health care. With a health care power of attorney, you can name someone to be your “agent” in the event that you become unable to make your own health care decisions. Under such circumstances, the agent has the right to make all decisions about your health care that need to be made. You can guide the decisions of your agent by including specific rules or limitations in your health care power of attorney.

Five Wishes is an easy-to-use legal document that lets you plan in advance for how you want to be cared for in case you become seriously ill. Some people refer to it as an “advance directive” because when you complete Five Wishes you give direction to your doctor and family, in advance, on how you want to be treated.