An advance directive is a written instruction that tells what health care you want if you cannot speak for yourself. Some examples of advance directives are:

• A living will or written health care instructions
• Choosing another person to make health care choices for you

If you want to make sure someone knows your wishes about your medical care if you cannot say them yourself, you should have a living will. Your living will should say who you want to make health care choices for you. The person you choose is called a health care representative. If you can’t let others know about your health care decisions, your health care provider will read your living will to know your wishes. Your health care representative can make decisions for you as you wrote in your living will. If something happens that is not in your living will, your health care representative knows your wishes and can make a decision that is best for you.

Under Connecticut law, you can refuse or stop treatment. You can also pick someone to make treatment decisions for you if you can’t speak for yourself. An advance directive is part of your medical record. Give one copy of your signed advance directive to your health care provider. Keep one copy for yourself. Take your copy with you when you go to the hospital. You should also take it with you if you go to the emergency room.

You may also visit www.ct.gov/ag/cwp for more information about advance directives.