Planning for Illness or Death
by: Wyoming Legal Services (Legal Services Developer)
BEGINNING JULY 1, 2005, ALL LIVING WILL, DURABLE POWERS OF ATTORNEY (DPOA) AND ORGAN DONATION DESIGNATION FORMS WILL BE REPLACED BY THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE FORM.
IF YOU EXECUTED THESE DOCUMENTS BEFORE JULY 1, 2005, THEY ARE STILL VALID. BUT, TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSIDER REPLACING THEM WITH THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE FORM.
REMEMBER: IF YOU CHOOSE TO REPLACE A LIVING WILL, DPOA OR ORGAN DONATION DESIGNATION DOCUMENT WITH THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE, PLEASE DESTROY THE OUT DATED MATERIAL TO AVOID CONFUSION.
What To Do When Your Sick or Facing Death
Introduction
Nobody likes to think about illness or death. But, these are facts of life.
If and when it happens, you may want what's called an "Advanced Medical Directive" or an "AMD."
An AMD allows you to make your own choices about health care. An AMD will allow your choice to be carried out even when you are no longer able to speak for your self.
This website explains AMD's. You can find out about
(1) letting doctors and hospitals know about medical care you may need in the future;
(2) appointing someone to make health care decisions for you if you cannot do so;
(3) how to tell medical people not to restart your heart or your breath if they stop;
(4) your right to know under the Patient Self-Determination Act;
(5) what forms you might need;
(6) what to do if you don't have the right forms;
(7) where you go if you have questions.
Special note to health care and other services providers: Please feel free to duplicate and distribute these materials as you or your clients may need. Your clients may ask you to help them change advance medical directive forms. Unless you are a licensed Wyoming attorney, you should not. If a client does not find a form (any form) to his or her liking, he or she should have a document drawn up by an lawyer.
Special note to legal practitioners: Please feel free to duplicate and distribute these materials as you or your clients may need.
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