An advance directive is a legal document in which a person records their wishes for medical care in case they later cannot speak for themselves — typically a living will describing treatments they would or would not want, such as resuscitation or artificial feeding. It matters most when completed early, while the person has full capacity, which in dementia means soon after diagnosis. For caregivers, an advance directive transforms agonizing guesswork into honoring known wishes, and it prevents family conflict at the worst possible moment. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, and directives should be shared with clinicians and revisited as circumstances change; an attorney or clinician can guide the specifics.
An advance directive is a document that records a person's wishes for future medical care, completed while they can still think clearly and communicate their decisions. In dementia, timing matters: i…