Advance Health Care Directive for California Province Jesuits

 

I, _________________________________________________, complete this document as a directive

                                    (Print your full name)

regarding my medical care.

(In the following sections, initial the blanks by the choices you select)

 

PART 1.  My Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

 

Option 1:  I, ______________________________, wish to appoint a health care agent.

                                    (Print your full name)

I, _____________________________________, appoint the following person to make decisions for me

(Print your full name)

concerning my medical care in the event that I become unable to make these decisions for myself. I give my agent full power and authority to make health care decisions for me including the right to consent, refuse consent, or withdraw consent to any care, treatment, service, or procedure to maintain, diagnose, or treat a physical or mental condition, and to receive and to consent to the release of medical information, subject to the statement of my desires, and special instructions. I want the individual I have appointed, my family, doctors, and others to guide decisions on my medical care based on my wishes expressed in the sections below.

            Your agent may not be:

1.      1.      Your primary health care provider.

2.      2.      An operator of a residential care facility where you receive care.

3.      3.      An employee of the health care institution or residential care facility where you receive care, unless your agent is related to you or is one of your co-workers.

 

I hereby appoint:

 

The Reverend                                                                           , S.J., the Religious Superior of the Jesuit Community at                                                                                      and his successors in that position.

AND/OR

 

Name                                                                                                   Email:                                                  

                                    (agent’s name)

Address:                                                                                                                                                          

                                    (street address, city, state, zip code)

Home Phone:                                                                            Work Phone:                                                   

Cell Phone/Pager:                                                                     Fax:                                                                 

 

Option 2:  I, _________________________________________, do not wish to appoint anyone to make

                                    (print your full name)

medical decisions for me at this time.

 

Option 3:  I, _________________________________________, want my agent’s authority to make

                                    (print your full name)

health care decisions for me to start now, even though I am still able to make them for myself.

 

PART 2. My Instructions for Health Care

The following are my wishes regarding my future medical care, in the event that I become unable to make these decisions for myself. (Initial all choices that apply to you or write in any additional wishes. If you do not initial any of the statements below or write your own statement, your agent will have broad powers to make health care decisions on your behalf, except to the extent that you have set forth limitations, or as limited by state or federal law.)

 

These are my wishes if I have a terminal condition or am in a persistent vegetative state. (If any statement reflects your desires, you may initial it to make it part of your instructions)

 

Life-Sustaining Treatments

1)         I do not want my life to be prolonged and I do not want life-sustaining treatment to be provided or continued: (1) if I am in an irreversible coma or persistent vegetative state; or (2) if I am terminally ill and the application of life-sustaining procedures would serve only to artificially delay the moment of my death; or (3) under any other circumstance where the burdens of the treatment outweigh the expected benefits. I want my agent to consider the relief of suffering and the quality as well as the extent of possible extension of my life in making decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment.

If this statement reflects your desires initial here:                         

OR:

2)                  2)                  I want my life to be prolonged and I want life-sustaining treatment to be provided unless I am in a coma or persistent vegetative state which my doctor reasonably feels to be irreversible. Once my doctor has reasonably concluded that I will remain unconscious for the rest of my life, I do not want life-sustaining treatment to be provided or continued.

If this statement reflects your desires initial here:                         

OR:

3)                  3)                  I want my life to be prolonged to the greatest extent possible without regard to my condition, the chance I have for recovery, or the cost of the procedures.

If this statement reflects your desires initial here:                         

 

Specific Life Sustaining Treatments

If I am persistently unconscious or there is no reasonable expectation of my recovery from a seriously incapacitating or terminal illness or condition, I direct that all of the life prolonging procedures I have initialed below be withheld or withdrawn unless they are being used to control pain or to provide comfort.

___________              Artificial nutrition and hydration (tube feeding of food and water)

___________              Surgery or other invasive procedures

___________              Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

___________              Antibiotics (for treating infection)

___________              Dialysis (machine which does the work for the kidneys if they fail)

___________              Respirator (machine which does the work for the lungs if they fail)

___________              Chemotherapy (to kill cancer cells)

___________              Radiation Therapy (to kill cancer cells)

___________              Other statements of desires, special instructions or limitations:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(You may attach additional pages if needed. You must date and sign any attached pages.)

 

Comfort Care

___________              I want to be kept as comfortable and free of pain as possible, even if this care shortens my life.

___________              Other wishes:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

                                    ______________________________________________________

                                    ______________________________________________________

 

Contribution of Anatomical Gift

 

___________              I wish to be an organ donor. See my driver’s license or the attached page(s) of instructions for any specifics.

OR:

___________              I do not wish to be an organ donor.

 

Autopsy

___________              I agree to an autopsy if my doctors wish it.

___________              I do not want an autopsy.

___________              Other wishes regarding disposition of my body.

                                    ______________________________________________________

                                    ______________________________________________________

                                    ______________________________________________________

 

Additional Directions

 

You have the right to be involved in all directions regarding your medical care, even if they do not relate to a terminal condition or a persistent vegetative state. If you have additional wishes that have not already been covered, please indicate them below or attach additional pages.

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

___________              I have added additional pages of specific health care instructions to this directive, each of which I have signed and dated.

 

Signatures

 

You and two witnesses must sign this document before it will be legal.  The following persons cannot act as witness:

1.      1.      the persons you have appointed as your health care agent

2.      2.      your health care provider

3.      3.      an employee of your health care provider

4.      4.      an operator or employee of a residential care facility for the elderly

In addition, at least one of the witnesses cannot be related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption.  This person cannot be named in your will or be entitled to any portion of your estate upon your death.

 

Alternatively, you may use a notary public to acknowledge this form.

 

Your Signature:                                                                                                                                             

                                    (date)                     (name printed)                                                                                     (signature)

Residence Address:                                                                                                                                         

 

First Witness:                                                                                                                                    

                                    (date)                     (name printed)                                                                                     (signature)

Residence Address:                                                                                                                                         

 

Second Witness:                                                                                                                                           

                                    (date)                     (name printed)                                                                                     (signature)

Residence Address: