Advance Directives

We support your right and need to have an Advance Directive, such as a living will or health care surrogate, if you are unable to make your own health care decisions. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have written an Advance Directive, you should provide a copy to LoCicero Health. Your care will not be affected if you have not completed an Advance Directive.

Sample Living Will

Sample Designation of Healthcare Surrogate

Florida Advance Directives Information

The purpose of Patient Self Determination Act and Florida’s Healthcare Surrogate Laws is to protect each adult patient’s right to participate in health care decision making to the maximum extent of his/her ability, and to prevent discrimination based on whether the patient has executed an “Advance Directive” for health care.

LoCicero Health Practice Statement

LoCicero Health supports a patient’s right to participate in health care decision making. Through education and inquiry about Advance Directives, LoCicero Health encourages patients to communicate their health care preferences and values to others. Such communication will guide others in patient health care decision making if the patient is incapacitated.

About Advance Directives

What Is an Advance Directive?

Advance Directives are forms that detail your choices for health care and treatment in case you become unable to talk to your doctors or make your own health care decisions, due to being sick or hurt. The best time to prepare an Advance Directive is while you can consider your wishes carefully and can discuss them with your doctor and the people close to you. In Florida, the two main types of advance directives are designation of a health care surrogate and living will.

Designation of Health Care Surrogate:

  • Will let you choose someone to make medical designations, based on your wishes, if you are not able to make your own decisions or if you choose not to make them for yourself and put that choice in writing.
  • Will let you include specific wishes if you have certain medical conditions.
  • Allows you to choose someone who will honor your wishes. You select one person and designate an additional person as a backup.

Living Will:

  • Will let you choose the kind of health care you do and do not want if you have a condition that will soon result in death, an end-stage condition or if you are in a persistent vegetative state.
  • Goes into effect only if you are no longer able to make decisions or communicate your wishes and are at or near end-of-life or are in a persistent vegetative state.

Completing a Designated Health Care Surrogate Form and Living Will

  • Read the forms carefully and think about your wishes.
  • If you do not understand the forms, find someone to help you so that you are sure about your choice.
  • Talk with your family, friends, clergy and doctor about your wishes and values.
  • Complete the designation of the health care surrogate form and the living will according to your wishes.
  • Have two witnesses sign the forms. Follow the instructions on the forms about who can sign as witnesses.
  • Florida does not require that a lawyer prepare your living will or designated health care surrogate form, and a notary is not required. However, if there is something you do not understand or if you have questions, you can get more information from these national organizations:
  • Agency for Health Care Administration: FloridaHealthFinder.gov
  • National Health Care Decisions Day: NHDD.org
  • The American Bar Association: AmericanBar.org

With Whom Should I Discuss Advance Directives?

Deciding who to involve is up to you. You may find it helpful to talk with people who know you well, such as your doctor, family members or close friends, and your religious or spiritual advisor. By Florida law, if you have not chosen a health care surrogate and one is needed, a person will be designated in the following order:

  • Court-appointed guardian
  • Spouse
  • Majority of adult children (who are readily available)
  • A parent
  • Majority of adult siblings (who are readily available)
  • A close adult relative
  • A close friend who knows you well
  • A licensed clinical social worker

When Should I Complete an Advance Directive?

The best time to complete an Advance Directive is before you have a serious illness or injury that prevents you from speaking for yourself. To complete an Advance Directive, you should be at least age 18 or older. The right time for you to make an Advance Directive is when you can take the time to:

  • Talk with your doctor about any health care problems and future concerns.
  • Think about your values and health care goals.
  • Consider your life, your family, cultural traditions, and spiritual beliefs.
  • Think about experiences you or your loved ones have had with serious illness or injury.

I’ve Completed My Forms. What’s Next?

  • Your health care surrogate and health care team should have copies of your forms, in case of an emergency.
  • Place your original signed forms in a reachable place, not in a safety deposit box or unavailable location. Some people keep copies in their car’s glove compartment or in a plastic bag with their medications.
  • Give copies to others, including your health care surrogate, family members, friends, lawyer, clergy, and your doctor(s).
  • Take a copy of these documents with you when you have any planned procedures and if you are admitted to a hospital or outpatient facility. When you undergo treatment, be sure to mention that you have a designated health care surrogate form and living will in place.

How Long is a Living Will or Designation of Health Care Surrogate Good For?

These documents are good, or valid, for as long as you do not revoke, or take them back, unless the documents have an expiration date included. However, it is a good idea to look at the documents at least once a year or as circumstance change.