Advance Directives

You can fill out the forms if you're 18 years or older and of sound mind. You don't need a lawyer to fill out the forms, but you must have two people witness and sign the form so that it is legal. Your Healthcare Representative can't be one of your witnesses.

Give a copy to your doctor and to your Healthcare Representative. You might also want to have copies for your family, clergy or anyone else you think might be asked about your wishes. If you know ahead of time that you're going to a hospital, bring a copy with you.

You can change or revoke your Living Will at any time and in any way — orally or in writing. But if you want to change or revoke your Health Care Representative, you must do it in writing and have it witnessed by two people. Remember that when you change or revoke Advance Directives, you need to let your doctor and anyone who has a copy know about the changes. Do I have to fill out Advance Directives forms? No, you don't have to fill out the forms if you don't want to. You can just talk with your doctors and ask them to write down what you've said in your medical chart. And you can talk with your family. But filling out the forms makes it easier for your doctors and loved ones to understand and respect your wishes.

Yes. You don't have to have a Living Will or a Healthcare Representative to be admitted to a hospital or other healthcare setting and receive treatment.

Your doctors can explain what's happening with your illness or medical condition. They will tell you about different treatments and how they can help. Your doctors also have to tell you if the treatments could cause any serious problems. Sometimes, more than one treatment can help. Your doctors can say which one they think is best, but they can't choose for you. You decide what's best for you. You have the right to say "yes" to treatments you want, or "no" to any treatments you don't want — even if the treatment might keep you alive longer.

If you're too sick to make decisions, your Healthcare Representative will make decisions for you. If you haven't chosen a Healthcare Representative, your doctor will usually ask your closest relative or friend (including a domestic and/or same sex partner) to help decide what you would want or what's best for you. Often, that works fine, but sometimes relatives or friends disagree about what to do. You can save your loved ones a lot of worry if you fill out Advance Directives forms ahead of time.

A conservator is a person appointed by the Probate Court to oversee the financial and/or personal affairs of an adult who is determined by the Probate Court to be incapable of managing his or her finances or unable to care for himself or herself. A conservator may also be appointed for a person who voluntarily requests such assistance. At Yale New Haven Health, a Social Work or Care Manager will assist you in navigating this process. For more information please contact social work at 203-688-2195.

If you received care in New York or Rhode Island, please reach out to the social worker in your delivery network for more specific instructions for your region.

• Connecticut conservatorship resources
• New York conservatorship resources
• Rhode Island conservatorship resources

After you choose someone to be your representative, tell that person what you want. Give them a copy of your Living Will, where you can write down when you would or wouldn't want certain types of medical treatments.