An Advance Directive, also known as an Advance Care Directive, is a set of legal documents that let your care team know what kind of medical decisions to make on your behalf if you're not able to communicate for yourself. This way, in the event of a medical emergency, your wishes will still be honored.
Advance Directive Forms by State
Get your Advance Directive forms to make sure your medical wishes are honored.
What is an Advance Directive?
Why do I need to fill out an Advance Directive?
It ensures your wishes are honored
By documenting your medical wishes, you're able to tell loved ones and physicians what you do (and don't want) in the event that you're unable to communicate those wishes yourself. The documents will speak for you.
It gives loved ones peace of mind
It's incredibly stressful to make end-of-life decisions for someone else when you don't know their wishes. With an Advance Care Directive, you're removing any uncertainty.
It's for everyone
No matter your age or health status, a medical crisis could leave you unable to make your own health care decisions. Everyone over the age of 18 should have their medical wishes documented.
It helps your doctors provide better care
An Advance Directive helps your medical team understand your end-of-life wishes so they're able to better understand what quality of life you deem acceptable. As a result, they can tailor your care to avoid treatment options that you would consider unwanted or overly aggressive.
Find the forms you need for your state
Each state has a different set of forms. If you move between states, fill out a new forms to make sure you’re up to date.
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
FAQ
Plan for more than just healthcare
An Advance Care Directive is a great place to start your end-of-life plans, but don't stop there! Create a full pre-plan (one that includes an Advanced Care Directive) to leave loved ones with answers, rather than questions. A pre-plan is a collection of what you'd like to happen in your absence across all facets of your life.
At Lantern, we’ve created an online hub that guides you through what you need to consider so you can leave a clear roadmap for your loved ones when they need it most.