Advance directives are defined as what?

Advance directives are indeed legal documents that outline an individual's healthcare preferences in the event that they become unable to communicate their wishes due to illness or incapacity. These documents can specify the types of medical treatments a person does or does not want, and they often include instructions about life-sustaining treatment and end-of-life care.

By creating advance directives, individuals have the opportunity to guide their healthcare decisions, ensuring that their values and desires are respected by family members and healthcare providers. This legal aspect distinguishes advance directives from informal family agreements, which lack the binding authority of legal documents. Additionally, they are not the same as hospital policies, which guide institutional practices rather than individual wishes, nor are they merely guidelines for physician treatment, which may not reflect the personal preferences of the patient.