<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves because of illness or incapacity . In the U.S. it has a legal status in itself, whereas in some countries it is legally persuasive without being a legal document . </P> <P> A living will is one form of advance directive, leaving instructions for treatment . Another form is a specific type of power of attorney or health care proxy, in which the person authorizes someone (an agent) to make decisions on their behalf when they are incapacitated . People are often encouraged to complete both documents to provide comprehensive guidance regarding their care, although they may be combined into a single form . An example of combination documents includes the Five Wishes in the United States . The term living will is also the commonly recognised vernacular in many countries, especially the U.K. </P>

Is an advance directive the same as a living will