Illness or injury can happen at any time. Do your family members or friends know your health care wishes? Would they know what to do? Does your doctor know what treatments you do or do not want?

     With advance directives, you can make sure you get the care you want. You will feel reassured knowing that your choices can be honored immediately, without losing valuable time, and that difficult decisions will be easier for your loved ones to make.

     There are two kinds of advance directives - a health care proxy (also known as a durable power of attorney for health care) and a living will. It is best to have both, and the best time to write them is while you're healthy. To help you through the process, we've prepared this guide as a gift to our community. Please take the time to read the information carefully and discuss it with your family and friends.

     As a convenience, we have provided printable PDF files of the Health Care Proxy and Living Will forms. In addition, you may order a free copy of our printed package which contains all of the information and forms on this website as well as a health care proxy card for your wallet and a sticker for display on the front of your medical chart.

This guide was made possible by a grant from Sound Partners for Community Health, The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care and WNED. Sound Partners for Community Health is a program of the Benton Foundation, funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which is dedicated to improving health and health care for all Americans.

The guide is endorsed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Western New York, Catholic Health System, Community Care of Western New York, Chautauqua Hospice, Hospice Family Care, Independent Health, Kaleida Health, Medical Society of the County of Erie, Mercy Flight, Minority Health Coalition, National Kidney Foundation of Western New York, Niagara Hospice, Univera Healthcare, Upstate New York Transplant Services, and the Western New York Healthcare Association.