What is a declaration?

What is a declaration?

Karl Steinberg (Associate Medical Director, Sharp Mission Park Medical Group) gives expert video advice on: How does 'power of attorney' affect long-term care?; What is an advance directive?; Why are advance directives important? and more...

A declaration is a term that's used in some states, and I believe here we would typically call that a directive to physicians, that you could specify specifically things that you might never want. So, for example, it might say if I am ever in a coma, an irreversible coma, or if I am suffering from a terminal condition I do not want my life to be artificially prolonged with the use of intravenous fluid, tube feeding of any kind, and any of a number of specific things that would be important to you as an individual. These types of advance directives, or sometimes you could call it a living will, are where it's not saying I'm going to let my daughter make these decisions. All it says is here's what I don't want ever. And then you give it to the health care professionals, and hopefully they will follow what you said. It's a legally executed document.