If you are admitted to the hospital, the staff will probably talk to you about advance directives. Effective advance directives describe the kind of treatment you would want for different levels of illness. For example, the directives would describe what kind of care you'd want if you had a critical illness, a terminal illness or permanent unconsciousness. Advance directives are often written to tell your doctor that you don't want certain kinds of treatment no matter how ill you are. However, they can also say that you do want a certain treatment.
Advance directives can take many forms.
Laws about advance directives vary from state to state. You should be aware of your state's laws regarding the scope of advance directives and requirements that apply to them. A living will is a type of advance directive. It comes into effect when you are terminally ill. Being terminally ill generally means that you have less than six months to live.