It is best to provide as much specific information as possible. Thinking about and discussing different situations and what you would like to happen in them is helpful. Many people would be willing to try aggressive and uncomfortable treatment for a while, but then would want it to be stopped if their condition does not improve. Making these wishes clear often requires working with your physician to make statements about how you want to be treated, including when health care providers should stop. As difficult as this can be, it is exactly the kind of advice that will help your family and caregivers most.
Many people find it useful to add their own thoughts to a formal advance directive.
You can write a letter to the person who serves as your health care surrogate and attach it to the advance directive. In this letter, you can reflect upon serious illness with people you have known or known about and what matters most in your life. This will help you guide your health care surrogate in making your wishes known to doctors.