What are the benefits of having a healthcare directive?
A healthcare directive allows patients to control the type of care and treatment they receive at the end of their lives. Without a healthcare directive, doctors may use their own discretion in making treatment decisions or they may defer to the judgment of a patient’s spouse or close relatives. Relatives may disagree, however, about what is best for the patient. Having a healthcare directive relieves family members of the stress and responsibility of making these decisions, and reassures them that the patient is receiving the type of care that they would have chosen if they were able to communicate their wishes.
