An advance health care directive lets you communicate your medical care preferences and designate decision-makers in the event you cannot speak for yourself. In Millbrae and throughout San Mateo County, preparing a clear directive provides both peace of mind and practical direction for family members and medical providers. The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman helps clients understand how an advance health care directive coordinates with broader estate plans, including living trusts, powers of attorney, and HIPAA authorizations. Creating a directive tailored to your values and health care wishes reduces confusion and ensures your choices guide care when you are unable to express them directly.
Putting an advance health care directive in place is a proactive step that protects your voice and your loved ones from difficult decisions during stressful times. A properly drafted directive names a health care agent, defines the scope of decision-making authority, and records treatment preferences for scenarios such as life-sustaining measures, pain management, and comfort care. It also complements related documents like a financial power of attorney and a HIPAA authorization so decision-makers can access necessary information. With careful drafting, your directive becomes a reliable guide that healthcare teams and family members can follow confidently when needed.
An advance health care directive offers clarity about your medical preferences and reduces uncertainty for those who may be called to decide on your care. By documenting your treatment wishes and naming a trusted agent, you preserve autonomy over health decisions even when you are incapacitated. This reduces conflict among family members and eases the burden on loved ones during stressful medical situations. A directive also helps ensure that medical professionals are aware of your values and chosen interventions, which can improve the alignment of care with your priorities and prevent unnecessary or unwanted treatments that do not reflect your wishes.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman focuses on estate planning matters for individuals and families in San Jose, Millbrae, and surrounding communities. Our practice emphasizes practical, client-focused document preparation and thoughtful planning that aligns with each person’s goals and circumstances. We help clients integrate advance health care directives with trusts, wills, and powers of attorney to create cohesive plans that are easy to administer. Clients can expect careful communication, clear instructions, and personalized attention to ensure their health care wishes will be honored and their loved ones have the guidance they need during a difficult time.
An advance health care directive is a legal document that records your preferences for medical treatment and appoints an agent to make health care decisions when you cannot do so. It typically addresses choices about life-sustaining treatment, resuscitation, intubation, artificial nutrition and hydration, pain relief, and palliative care. The directive can also include instructions about organ donation and end-of-life arrangements. Properly executed in California, it complements a HIPAA authorization so your agent can access medical records, and it coordinates with other estate planning documents such as powers of attorney and revocable living trusts.
A directive does not replace conversations with loved ones and health care providers, but it does formalize your preferences and reduce ambiguity. It can be limited or broad depending on your comfort level with delegating authority. The document is legally recognized by medical providers and helps ensure that your values and treatment priorities guide care decisions. Reviewing and updating the directive over time is important, particularly after major health events or life changes, so the document remains aligned with your current wishes and the people you trust to act on your behalf.
An advance health care directive is a legally recognized statement of a person’s medical treatment preferences and an appointment of a health care agent to make decisions if the person becomes incapacitated. In California, the directive often includes a power to refuse or accept specific treatments, instructions for end-of-life care, and authority for the agent to access medical information with a HIPAA authorization. The directive can be as detailed or as general as you prefer, but clarity helps health care providers apply your wishes in real situations. The document should be signed and witnessed or notarized according to state requirements to ensure enforceability.
Creating a directive involves several key elements: identifying your health care agent, specifying treatment preferences, adding a HIPAA authorization, and finalizing the document according to California signing rules. The process typically begins with a discussion about your values and medical priorities, followed by drafting language that accurately reflects those choices. You may choose to include scenario-based statements that describe the types of medical conditions or outcomes where particular treatments should or should not be used. Once signed and witnessed or notarized, you should provide copies to your agent, family members, and health care providers and retain a copy with your estate planning records.
This glossary explains common terms used in health care directives, helping you understand legal language and make informed decisions. Knowing what terms like agent, incapacity, HIPAA authorization, life-sustaining treatment, and palliative care mean will help you draft clear instructions. Clear definitions reduce misinterpretation and increase the likelihood that medical teams and family members will follow your wishes. When documents use consistent terminology and address foreseeable scenarios, they provide stronger guidance during emotionally charged medical situations and help ensure that your values remain at the center of care decisions.
A health care agent is the person you name in an advance health care directive to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot communicate. The agent should understand your values, be willing to act under stressful conditions, and be able to communicate with medical professionals and family members. When selecting an agent, consider availability and temperament, and choose someone who will follow the directions you set out in the directive. Providing a HIPAA authorization alongside the directive enables the agent to access medical records and speak directly with providers, which improves decision-making and continuity of care.
A HIPAA authorization allows your health care agent or other designated individuals to receive protected health information from medical providers. Without this authorization, privacy rules may limit access to necessary records and impede decision-making. Including a HIPAA authorization with your advance health care directive ensures that the person you appoint can review test results, treatment histories, and other records needed to make informed decisions according to your stated preferences. This authorization should clearly name the individuals permitted to access records and be signed to meet California requirements.
Incapacity refers to a condition in which a person cannot understand or communicate medical decisions or the consequences of those decisions. Incapacity can be temporary or permanent, and it triggers the authority of a named health care agent under an advance health care directive. Determinations of incapacity are generally made by treating physicians, and the directive should specify any preferences about how and when the agent’s authority becomes effective. Clear instructions in the directive help avoid disputes and ensure that your nominated agent can act when you are unable to speak for yourself.
Life-sustaining treatment refers to medical interventions that maintain, restore, or replace vital bodily functions, including mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dialysis, and artificial nutrition and hydration. Your advance health care directive can state whether you would want these treatments under specific circumstances, such as a terminal condition, permanent unconsciousness, or severe irreversible cognitive impairment. Clear guidance about life-sustaining treatment helps your agent and health care providers make decisions that align with your values, avoiding interventions that you would not have wanted in certain situations.
When planning for health care decisions, individuals can choose a limited directive with concise instructions or a comprehensive directive that addresses multiple scenarios and contingencies. A limited approach might state a few clear preferences and name an agent, which is often faster to prepare and easier for family members to follow. A comprehensive directive explores various medical situations, specifies detailed treatment preferences, and integrates HIPAA authorizations and related estate documents. The best choice depends on personal comfort with delegation, the complexity of medical wishes, and the desire to minimize ambiguity for decision-makers who may be acting under pressure.
A limited advance health care directive is often sufficient when a person has relatively straightforward treatment preferences and a trusted decision-maker to carry out those wishes. If your priorities are clear, such as preferring comfort care over aggressive life-prolonging treatments in the event of terminal illness, a concise directive can effectively communicate those choices. In situations where family members agree on the approach and the agent is willing to discuss options with medical staff, a focused document reduces preparation time while still protecting your decision-making authority during incapacity.
A limited directive may be appropriate for individuals whose health status is stable and whose medical needs are not complex or evolving. If you do not anticipate complicated treatment decisions or long-term care planning, a short directive with a trusted agent and a few clear statements about life-sustaining measures can be efficient and effective. This approach works well when the agent has ready access to medical information, family members are aligned, and you prefer straightforward guidance rather than a lengthy list of conditional instructions that could become outdated over time.
A comprehensive advance health care directive is advisable when medical conditions are complex or when family dynamics could complicate decision-making. Detailed instructions and carefully chosen language reduce the potential for disagreement and provide a clearer roadmap for the health care agent and providers. If you have multiple chronic conditions, progressive illness, or concerns about family disputes, a thorough directive integrated with other estate documents helps ensure consistent application of your wishes across medical settings and over time.
When your advance health care directive must work alongside trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning instruments, a comprehensive approach reduces conflicting instructions and streamlines decision-making. Integrating documents such as a revocable living trust, HIPAA authorization, and a financial power of attorney ensures that appointed agents have the authority and access necessary to carry out their roles. This integrated planning is particularly helpful when continuity between financial management, medical decisions, and estate administration is important to preserve family relationships and reduce administrative burdens.
A comprehensive approach offers clarity and consistency across documents, reducing the risk of conflicting instructions and ensuring that agents and providers can rely on a single, coherent plan. It anticipates a range of medical scenarios and provides detailed guidance so decisions made under stress will reflect long-held values and preferences. Comprehensive planning also helps prevent legal disputes among family members by documenting intentions clearly and ensuring appointed agents have the legal access and authority they need through HIPAA authorizations and related instruments.
Beyond clarity, comprehensive planning often simplifies administration during difficult times by ensuring that health care decisions and financial arrangements work together. When a directive is properly coordinated with powers of attorney and trust documents, your appointed decision-makers can obtain information and act more quickly. This coordination reduces delays in treatment, helps preserve assets for intended beneficiaries, and aligns end-of-life care with broader estate objectives. Overall, a comprehensive directive supports informed decisions, reduces conflict, and promotes dignity and comfort at the end of life.
A comprehensive directive increases certainty by addressing multiple contingencies and specifying the preferences that matter most to you. This reduces the room for disagreement among family members and provides medical teams with clearer instructions, which is particularly helpful in high-stress or ambiguous clinical situations. When the language of the document is precise and the agent’s authority is well-defined, decision-makers can act with confidence, reducing the likelihood of costly delays or legal challenges that arise when wishes are unclear or undocumented.
Comprehensive advance planning aligns medical directives with financial powers of attorney, trusts, and beneficiary arrangements, making it easier for agents to manage both care and assets when necessary. Coordination ensures that those who make medical decisions also have access to relevant records and financial authority where appropriate, facilitating timely access to treatment and protecting resources for your intended beneficiaries. This integrated approach reduces administrative burdens on family members and supports decisions that reflect both medical priorities and long-term planning goals.
Selecting the right health care agent is one of the most important decisions you will make when preparing an advance directive. Choose someone who understands your values, communicates well with family members, and can calmly navigate medical settings on short notice. Make sure the person is willing to accept the responsibility and can be available when needed. Discuss your preferences in detail so the agent understands your priorities and can advocate for the medical treatment you would prefer. Providing written guidance and having follow-up conversations can improve consistency and reduce stress for everyone involved.
Life changes and health developments can alter what you want to be documented in an advance health care directive, so periodic review is essential. Consider revisiting your directive after major life events such as chronic illness diagnosis, a significant change in family circumstances, or after a serious hospitalization. Updating the directive ensures that its instructions remain consistent with your current wishes and that your chosen agent still reflects your preferences and relationships. A routine review every few years helps maintain relevance and prevents outdated instructions from creating confusion when decisions must be made.
An advance health care directive protects your voice in medical decision-making and reduces the potential for family conflict during stressful times. It ensures your individual treatment preferences guide medical care if you cannot communicate, and it designates a person to act on your behalf with clear authority. This arrangement can speed access to critical information, reduce delays in care, and help ensure that decisions reflect your values rather than guesswork. People choose to prepare directives to preserve dignity, relieve loved ones from uncertainty, and safeguard their wishes for end-of-life and other critical care scenarios.
Another important reason to consider a directive is to coordinate medical decisions with financial and estate planning so appointed agents can access records and make timely choices. A directive paired with a HIPAA authorization and a financial power of attorney supports integrated care and administration. Creating a directive also promotes meaningful conversations with family about values and priorities, helping loved ones understand your preferences before they face difficult choices. Ultimately, clear documentation reduces the emotional burden on family members and helps medical providers honor your intended course of care.
Advance health care directives are commonly needed in scenarios such as progressive illness, high-risk surgery, advanced age, or sudden incapacitation from accidents or stroke. People also create directives when diagnosed with conditions that may impair cognition over time, or when they have specific wishes about life-sustaining treatment and comfort care. Directives are also important for individuals living apart from close family so that designated agents can act quickly when medical decisions arise. Preparing the document proactively ensures that your preferences are known and legally documented before a crisis occurs.
When facing a serious or progressive illness, an advance health care directive helps ensure that treatment decisions reflect personal goals for quality of life and comfort. Chronic conditions can lead to scenarios where you may be unable to communicate, making it important to record preferences about resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and life-sustaining treatment. Documenting choices ahead of time relieves family members from guessing and helps medical teams follow a plan that aligns with your values, which can lead to better quality care and reduce the stress of making urgent decisions without clear guidance.
Preparing an advance health care directive before major surgery gives you and your family clear instructions should complications lead to temporary or prolonged incapacity. Surgeons and anesthesiologists often ask about directives because unexpected outcomes can require decisions about life-sustaining interventions. Having a directive in place allows your nominated agent to speak for you and provides medical teams with documented guidance on preferences for aggressive treatment versus comfort-focused care, which can be particularly important when quick choices must be made in the immediate postoperative period.
Individuals who are aging or who live alone benefit from an advance health care directive because it names a trusted decision-maker and creates a plan for medical care if sudden incapacity occurs. Living alone may delay family awareness of a health crisis, so having a named agent with HIPAA authorization ensures someone can promptly access records and coordinate care. For older adults, the directive can also address preferences about long-term care, comfort measures, and where treatment decisions should be made, providing clarity that helps loved ones and care providers support the person’s wishes effectively.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman serves clients in Millbrae and the greater San Mateo County area, offering attentive guidance for advance health care directives and related estate planning documents. We help clients select agents, draft clear instructions, and coordinate the directive with powers of attorney, HIPAA authorizations, and trust documents. Our approach emphasizes practical drafting and effective communication so your wishes are respected and accessible when needed. If you have questions about how a directive interacts with other planning tools or how to update an existing document, we provide straightforward answers and hands-on assistance.
Clients choose the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman for thorough attention to the details that make advance health care directives effective. Our practice focuses on clear, durable documents and careful coordination with other estate planning instruments so that your medical preferences and financial arrangements work together. We prioritize communication with clients and their families to ensure that the directive reflects deeply held values and practical considerations. By preparing documents that are legally sound and easy to follow, we help reduce the burden on loved ones and ensure your decisions are respected by medical teams.
Our process emphasizes listening to clients, explaining options, and drafting instructions in language that medical providers and family members can apply without ambiguity. We assist with naming appropriate agents, adding HIPAA authorizations, and suggesting ways to communicate your wishes to those who will rely on the directive. The goal is to leave you with a clear plan that is simple to implement in a time of need, while also ensuring the directive aligns with broader estate planning goals such as trusts, powers of attorney, and guardianship nominations when relevant.
When you work with the firm, you gain access to practical experience in preparing documents commonly paired with advance directives, including surrogates, HIPAA forms, living trusts, and powers of attorney. We help clients ensure that their directives comply with California requirements for signing and witnessing or notarization, and we offer strategies for distributing copies and storing originals securely. Our focus is on delivering documents that are reliable and actionable so your medical preferences and appointed decision-makers can act promptly if a medical emergency arises.
Our process begins with an initial conversation to understand your values, health history, and goals for medical decision-making. We discuss who you trust to act as your health care agent, the specific treatments you want included or declined under various circumstances, and how the directive should interact with other estate planning documents. After drafting the directive, we review the language with you to ensure clarity and provide guidance on signing, witnesses, and notarization if desired. Finally, we advise on distribution of copies and recommended steps for periodic review and updates.
During the initial consultation, we discuss your values, medical preferences, and any prior documents you may have in place. This meeting helps identify the right person to appoint as health care agent and clarifies treatment priorities such as preferences regarding life-sustaining measures, comfort care, and organ donation. We also review how the directive will coordinate with other estate planning documents you already have, such as revocable living trusts, wills, and financial powers of attorney. The goal of this step is to gather all necessary information to draft a directive that accurately reflects your wishes.
We spend time exploring your personal values and how they translate into treatment preferences so that the directive is meaningful and useful in real clinical scenarios. Topics include attitudes toward life-sustaining interventions, levels of acceptable medical intervention, and conditions under which you would prefer comfort-focused care. This conversation ensures that the language used in the directive will be consistent with your priorities and easy for your agent and clinical teams to apply when decisions must be made quickly and under pressure.
We assist in selecting an appropriate health care agent and preparing that person for potential responsibilities. This includes advising on discussing your wishes with the chosen agent, documenting any specific limitations on authority, and making sure the agent has access to a HIPAA authorization and copies of the directive. Preparing the agent in advance helps ensure they understand your preferences and are ready to communicate with medical providers and family members when the time comes to act on your behalf.
After gathering information and confirming your preferences, we draft the advance health care directive and any supporting documents such as a HIPAA authorization and companion letters of instruction. The drafting phase focuses on clarity and legal compliance with California requirements for execution. We tailor language to your circumstances so that medical teams and family members can readily interpret the document. Once drafted, we review the directive with you, make requested revisions, and confirm who will receive copies and how the original will be stored for accessibility.
As part of comprehensive planning, we prepare HIPAA authorizations that accompany the directive to enable your agent to access medical records when necessary. We also advise on distribution plans, recommending that copies be given to your primary care provider, specialists, hospital records, and trusted family members. Clear distribution reduces delays when records are needed, ensures the agent can communicate quickly with providers, and helps medical teams recognize the directive’s authority during an emergency.
We review the draft with you, explain any legal implications, and incorporate revisions until the document accurately reflects your preferences. Finalizing includes confirming the signing procedure for California, arranging for witnessing or notarization as appropriate, and advising on where to store the original. We also discuss how to update the documents in the future and recommend a schedule for review to ensure that your directive remains current with changes in health or personal circumstances.
The final step is execution of the directive and distribution of copies to the people and institutions that will need them. We provide guidance on signing, witness requirements, and optional notarization to enhance ease of use in medical settings. After execution, we recommend informing your health care agent and family members about the directive’s location and contents. Periodic review and updates are important to keep the directive aligned with changing health conditions, relationships, or preferences, and we offer follow-up services to make revisions when needed.
We explain California signing and witnessing requirements and whether notarization is recommended for your situation. Ensuring the document is properly executed reduces the chance of administrative delays or challenges when it is needed. We can arrange for a witness or provide instructions for notarization to meet statutory standards. Proper execution also clarifies the document’s validity across care settings and helps hospitals and clinicians accept the directive without unnecessary procedural obstacles.
After signing the directive, we recommend storing the original in a safe but accessible location and providing copies to your agent, primary care provider, and close family members. Keep a list of who has copies and note in your medical records the existence of the directive. Regularly review the directive every few years or after significant life or health events to confirm it still reflects your wishes. We offer review and amendment services so documents remain aligned with changes in your values or medical circumstances.
An advance health care directive is a document that records your medical treatment preferences and appoints a trusted person to make health care decisions if you cannot do so yourself. It typically covers choices about resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, and other life-sustaining interventions, along with guidance for comfort-focused or palliative care. Having a directive in place ensures that your voice is preserved when you are incapacitated and reduces uncertainty for family members and clinicians who may otherwise need to guess at your wishes. Preparing a directive also supports legal clarity and practical access to medical information when paired with a HIPAA authorization. Without a directive, decisions may be delayed or fall to someone under a court process, which can create stress and disagreement among family members. A directive gives guidance that helps loved ones and medical teams make decisions consistent with your values, avoiding unnecessary treatments and providing reassurance that your preferences will guide care when you cannot speak for yourself.
When choosing a health care agent, look for someone who understands your values, remains calm under pressure, and can communicate effectively with medical providers and family members. The ideal agent should be willing to accept responsibility, reasonably available when decisions may be needed, and able to set aside personal preferences in favor of carrying out your recorded wishes. You may also name alternate agents in case the primary agent is unavailable, and you should discuss your choices with the people you nominate so they are prepared to act when necessary. It is important to provide your agent with detailed information about your medical preferences and any supporting documents, including a HIPAA authorization and contact information for your doctors. Regular conversations about your wishes help the agent feel confident and informed. Documenting these discussions in the directive and in a companion letter of instruction provides practical support that helps the agent follow your intentions accurately in real-world clinical situations.
A HIPAA authorization is a legal document that permits your designated agent to access protected health information from medical providers and institutions. The authorization removes potential privacy barriers that might otherwise prevent your agent from obtaining test results, treatment histories, or discharge instructions when decisions are needed. Including a HIPAA authorization with your advance health care directive ensures that the person you appoint can gather the information necessary to make informed medical decisions on your behalf. Without a HIPAA authorization, privacy rules may restrict the release of medical records to family members or agents, which can impede timely decision-making. By combining an advance directive with a HIPAA authorization and sharing copies with your providers, you help create a smoother process during emergencies and ensure your agent is able to speak with clinicians and access records that clarify your medical status and available treatment options.
Yes, you can limit the authority of your health care agent by including specific instructions or conditions in the advance health care directive. For example, you may restrict the agent’s ability to consent to certain procedures, require consultation with particular family members, or limit decisions to specified medical scenarios. Careful drafting of such limitations helps the agent understand the boundaries of their decision-making power and ensures the directive aligns with your preferences about who may make certain types of decisions on your behalf. When placing limits on an agent’s authority, clear and concrete language is essential to avoid ambiguity during critical moments. It is also important to discuss these limitations with the chosen agent so they understand how to proceed in complex situations. If the restrictions create uncertainty, medical teams may need additional guidance, so combining limits with explanatory notes or a companion letter can be helpful for translating your intentions into actionable decisions.
Reviewing your advance health care directive periodically is advisable to ensure it continues to reflect your wishes, especially after major life events such as a change in health status, marriage, divorce, or the death of a named agent. Medical developments and shifts in personal values may also prompt updates. Regular review every few years is a sensible practice to confirm that your directive remains current and that your appointed agent and alternate agents are still willing and able to serve in that role. When you update the directive, make sure to replace older copies held by providers and family members and inform them of the changes. Keep the original in a safe but accessible location and provide the agent with a signed copy and any necessary HIPAA authorization. Periodic updates help prevent confusion and ensure that the document continues to be an accurate guide for medical decisions when it becomes necessary.
Hospitals and doctors generally honor a valid advance health care directive that clearly states treatment preferences and names an agent, provided the document complies with applicable California signing and witnessing requirements. Presenting a properly executed directive and a HIPAA authorization facilitates acceptance by medical teams and allows the named agent to speak with clinicians and access records. It is helpful to provide copies of the directive to your primary care physician and any hospitals or specialists you see regularly to ensure the document is on file when needed. In emergency situations, clinicians must act quickly to preserve life or stabilize a patient, and hospital staff will consult the directive if it is readily available. To increase the directive’s practical effect, keep copies in accessible places and ensure loved ones and providers know where to find it. Proper storage and distribution reduce delays and improve the likelihood that your documented preferences will be followed in urgent care settings.
An advance health care directive focuses on medical decision-making, while a living trust and a will address asset distribution and stewardship after death. Although they serve different purposes, these documents should be coordinated so that appointed decision-makers have the authority and information they need. For example, a financial power of attorney works alongside a health care directive to enable someone to manage finances when you are incapacitated, while a living trust manages assets according to your instructions during and after lifetime events. Coordinating these documents prevents conflicts and makes administration more efficient if incapacity or death occurs. Ensuring consistency among beneficiaries, agents, and the timing of authority helps reduce administrative burdens and family disagreements. Including HIPAA authorizations and cross-references in the documents where appropriate enhances their functionality and supports an integrated plan that addresses both medical and financial needs.
If you do not have an advance health care directive and become incapacitated, medical decisions may fall to a default surrogate as provided by state law or require a court proceeding to appoint a decision-maker. Relying on default rules can lead to delays and decisions that may not reflect your individual values or preferences. Family disagreements over appropriate treatment may also arise without a clear directive, increasing emotional strain during a medical crisis and potentially resulting in conflict among loved ones. Preparing a directive ahead of time avoids these uncertainties by naming a trusted agent and specifying your wishes for treatment. Even a basic directive provides a clearer path for decision-making and reduces the likelihood of court involvement or family dispute. Proactive planning ensures that your preferred approach to medical care guides decisions rather than default legal rules or competing family opinions.
You can revoke or change your advance health care directive at any time while you have the capacity to do so. Revocation can be accomplished by creating a new directive that supersedes the prior one or by executing a clear written revocation and distributing it to your agent and medical providers. It is important to communicate any changes to the appointed agent and to retrieve older copies to avoid confusion about which document reflects your current wishes. When you update the directive, make sure to provide updated copies to your primary care physician, specialists, and any hospitals where a record may be kept. Notifying family members and the agent reduces the chance that an outdated document will be used. Periodic review and timely distribution of new copies help ensure that medical teams and loved ones follow the most current statement of your preferences.
To make sure your family knows about your health care wishes, have open conversations that describe your values and specific preferences, and provide written copies of your advance health care directive to the people you trust most. Discussing scenarios and explaining why you made certain choices helps family members and your appointed agent understand the reasoning behind your instructions. This transparency reduces the emotional burden of making decisions during a crisis and increases the likelihood that your wishes will be implemented faithfully. In addition to conversations, distribute signed copies of the directive and a HIPAA authorization to your primary care physician, key family members, and the person you name as agent. Keep the original in a known location and maintain a record of who has copies. Periodic conversations and document sharing are effective ways to ensure your family and health care providers are informed and prepared to act on your behalf.
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