When making plans for your future medical care, advance directives allow you to clearly outline your preferences for treatment and end-of-life decisions. These directives are used to guide healthcare providers and loved ones in honoring your wishes if you are unable to communicate them yourself.
However, circumstances change and you may be wondering if you can update or revise your advance directives to reflect your current wishes and needs. While healthcare providers are required to follow your directives to the extent possible, it is possible to make amendments or revoke them entirely as long as you are capable of making decisions. Changes can be made when:
You enter or leave a nursing home
Changes can be made to your advance directives when entering or leaving a nursing home, as these transitions often bring about new considerations for your medical care and living arrangements. For instance, you may wish to address specific treatments or interventions that align with the standard of care provided in a care home setting or update instructions to reflect your preferences for life-sustaining measures in a long-term care environment.
You experience significant change in health
If you experience a significant change in your health, it may be appropriate to revisit your advance directives. A new diagnosis, a major surgery or a decline in your condition could impact your preferences for treatments or interventions. Updating your directives during such times allows them to accurately reflect your current situation and priorities.
You need to change your appointed decision-maker
When making advance directives, you may have appointed a specific individual to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. Over time, relationships or circumstances can change and you might feel that a different person would better represent your wishes. Whether due to a change in trust, availability or personal dynamics, updating your advance directives to name a new decision-maker better ensures that the person acting on your behalf is someone you are confident will honor your preferences and communicate effectively with healthcare providers.
Legal guidance can help understand the process of updating or revising your advance directives, making sure that your changes are legally valid and properly documented.