What is the main focus of an advance directive?

An advance directive primarily focuses on medical treatment preferences, allowing individuals to convey their wishes regarding healthcare outcomes in situations where they may be unable to communicate those preferences themselves. It is a legal document that ensures that a person's treatment choices, particularly in critical or end-of-life situations, are respected and followed.

Advance directives can take various forms, including living wills and durable power of attorney for healthcare. In these documents, individuals define the types of medical interventions they want or do not want, such as resuscitation efforts, mechanical ventilation, or palliative care options. This helps to guide healthcare professionals and family members in making decisions that align with the patient’s values and desires when they are not able to voice these themselves.

While financial decisions, living arrangements, and funeral arrangements are important aspects of an individual’s overall planning, they do not fall under the typical scope of an advance directive, which is explicitly intended to address medical care preferences.