Advance directives provide guidance if a person becomes incapacitated, which is a common occurrence for people as they age. Many individuals experience dementia or other mentally incapacitating conditions toward the end of their lives. An advance directive can outline the individuals named health care proxy as well as who should be given power of attorney. An advance directive can even indicate how much lifesaving care he or she wants to receive in the event of an end-of-life medical emergency.