Advance directives include living wills and durable power of attorney for health care. What is the key difference between them?

• A. A living will appoints a decision-maker; durable power of attorney defines treatment preferences.
• B. A living will dictates medical power of attorney choices; durable power of attorney outlines future expenses.
• C. A living will is the same as a durable power of attorney; both assign a decision-maker.
• D. A living will states treatment preferences when decisions cannot be made; a durable power of attorney designates a person to make health care decisions.

Answer: (D)

A living will expresses your treatment preferences for times when you can’t participate in decisions about your care, while a durable power of attorney for health care designates a specific person to make those health care decisions for you when you’re unable to do so. The living will guides what kinds of interventions you would or wouldn’t want, especially at the end of life, but it does not appoint a decision-maker. The durable power of attorney for health care, by contrast, names who should decide on your behalf when you lack capacity. Sometimes the two work together, with the living will guiding the appointed decision-maker, but they serve different roles: instructions about treatment versus appointment of a surrogate.