To plan for healthcare decisions, hospice patients should be able to understand their treatment choices as well as be able to express their values and wishes.
There are various legal documents, known as advance directives, available to help ensure that your wishes will be honored.
Legal Documents
The following list includes legal documents you should be aware of before and after you decide
to use hospice care. You will need to seek legal counsel for some of these documents.
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Medical Durable Power of Attorney(MDPOA) |
Asigned document that gives authority to an adult at least 18 years of age allowing them to make necessary medical and health care decisions if you become incapacitated. This document does not need to be notarized or witnessed and it does not need to be completed by an attorney. |
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Colorado Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Directive |
Adocument stating that emergency health care personnel or others may not perform CPR on you. This document is available from a health care provider and must be signed by both you and your doctor. |
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Five Wishes
Click here to request a free copy of Five Wishes.
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An advance directive document, which addresses and documents your personal, emotional, and spiritual needs, as well as your medical wishes. It also allows you to choose the person you want to make health care decisions for you if you are not able to make them yourself (In lieu of MDPOA document).
Five Wishes encourages you to talk with your family, friends, and doctor to communicate to them exactly how you wish to be treated if you become seriously ill. This directive can be very helpful for family members as well, since they will no longer be required to make difficult choices and determine your wishes without sufficient information. |
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Proxy Decision Maker |
The individual appointed to make health care decisions when a MDPOA has not been identified. The appointment is made by a mutual agreement (consensus) of family members and interested persons. |
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Power of Attorney (POA) |
Anotarized document that assigns authority to an adult at least 18 years of age allowing them to make decisions regarding your money or property. This document ceases to be in effect at the time of death. |
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Durable Power of Attorney |
Anotarized document stating that the designated POAcan continue their authority to make decisions regarding your money or property even if you become incapacitated, disabled, or incompetent. This document ceases to be in effect at the time of death. Please note that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will require you to complete one of its forms as well.
A statement to this effect must be included in the POAdocument: "The power of attorney will continue to be in effect even if Ibecome disabled, incapacitated, or incompetent." |
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Living Will |
A Living Will is a document signed by a person which instructs the doctor regarding the use of artificial life support measures if the person becomes terminally ill and is unable to make medical decisions.
In Colorado, Living Wills may also be used to stop tube feeding and other forms of artificial nourishment, but ONLY IF the Living Will clearly indicates this instruction and the person has a terminal illness. If the patient is able to swallow food and/or fluids, the Living Will won’t prevent the patient from being fed.
T he Living Will must be signed by two witnesses and need not be notarized. Neither witness can be a patient of The Denver Hospice, any person associated with The Denver Hospice, any physician, employee of his/her primary physician, or persons who may inherit any of the patient’s money or property.
L iving Will forms and other information regarding Living Wills can often be obtained through doctors, lawyers, health care facilities, other health organizations or an office supply store. |