An advance directive: The gift that speaks for you
September 1, 2026By: Joel Francis
Categories: Your Wellness
Key takeaways:
- An advance directive helps loved ones understand your wishes during a medical crisis.
- Document the care you want and choose someone you trust to make decisions for you.
- Talk with your loved ones and health care provider, then review your wishes as they change.
Most of us spend plenty of time planning for the things we look forward to: vacations, celebrations, retirement and time with the people we love. Planning for a time when we may not be able to speak for ourselves feels different. It can be uncomfortable to think about, but having an advance directive in place can offer something valuable to you and your loved ones: peace of mind.
An advance directive is a legal document that communicates your wishes for medical care if you become too ill or injured to make or communicate decisions yourself. It can describe the treatments you would or would not want and identify someone you trust to make health care decisions on your behalf.
A way to make your voice heard
Imagine a loved one sitting in a hospital room, facing an unexpected medical crisis and being asked to make difficult decisions on your behalf.
They may know you well. They may have heard you talk about your wishes. But even the people closest to us may not know exactly what we would want in a particular situation. Without clear instructions, family members may feel uncertain or disagree about what would be best.
An advance directive can take some of that weight off their shoulders.
By putting your wishes in writing and talking about them with the people you love, you give your family a clearer understanding of what matters to you. You also give your health care team important guidance about the care you want.
In that way, an advance directive becomes more than a legal document. It becomes a gift.
One less decision for your loved ones to make
When a medical crisis happens, families already have enough to think about. They may be worried about your condition, trying to understand what is happening and simply hoping you will get better.
An advance directive can remove one difficult question from the uncertainty: What would they want us to do?
Your loved ones do not have to guess. They do not have to wonder whether they made the right choice for you. Instead, they can focus on being there for you.
That does not mean you have to predict every possible medical situation. Advance care planning is a conversation about your values, preferences and the kinds of care you would want. Your decisions can also change over time. If your wishes change, you can update your advance directive and share the new version with your loved ones and health care providers.
Start with a conversation
Creating an advance directive does not need to happen all at once.
Start by thinking about what matters most to you. Consider the kinds of medical treatments you might want or want to avoid if you could no longer make decisions for yourself. Then talk with the people closest to you and your health care provider.
You also can choose someone you trust to serve as your health care agent or proxy. This person can make health care decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. Choosing someone who understands your wishes and feels comfortable speaking on your behalf can help give you and your family confidence when difficult decisions arise.
Advance directive requirements vary between Missouri and Kansas. In Missouri, some advance directive documents require two witnesses or notarization, while Kansas allows certain documents to be witnessed. It is easy to find advance directive documents for Missouri and Kansas online.
Once you complete your advance directive, share copies with your health care provider, your health care agent and the family members or friends who should know about your wishes.
A simple act of love
None of us knows what the future will bring. But we can make sure the people we love will not have to face the future wondering what we would have wanted.
Take the time to establish an advance directive to give your loved ones a roadmap when they may need it most. It gives them your voice when you cannot speak for yourself and one less difficult decision to make during an already challenging time.
