As part of our ongoing campaign to promote the use of Advance Medical Directives (“medical wills”) in our community, attorneys and volunteers from the County Attorney’s Office will be offering free assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms.
The event will take place on Friday July 21, 2017, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the offices of the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6, located at 14608 Greg Dr. All residents of El Paso County are encouraged to come and get free assistance drafting their advance directives forms. All they have to do is bring a current picture ID.
Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.
A Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:
- The use of dialysis and breathing machines
- If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops
- Tube feeding
- Organ or tissue donation
- Blood transfusions
A Medical Power of Attorney allows individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they are unable to do so.
Individuals interested in printing at home their own Directive to Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney forms can download them by visiting the County Attorney’s web page. The English language forms can be downloaded here, and the Spanish language forms can be downloaded here.
WHO: Volunteers from the County Attorney’s Office
WHAT: Free Assistance in drafting “Living Wills”
WHEN: Friday July 21, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Office of JP Precinct 6, 14608 Greg Dr., in Montana Vista.
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2017 Living Wills Event Press Release.pd