Download an Advance Directive

There are many different advance directive forms available to you. Here are a few sources. (These directives all include a place to name an agent to speak for you.)

• Download a simple, easy-to-read version of a California Advance Directive form in either English or Spanish. [These are large pdf files and require Adobe Reader, which is already installed on most computers, to view them.]
  
  
• One popular directive called Five Wishes, is available by mail from Aging with Dignity.  It is legal in California and in most states. This detailed document helps you determine your values and leads you step-by-step through making decisions about medical care. It also allows you to be specific about what you want beyond medical procedures, such as emotional, spiritual, and personal needs. It is often called a more intimate directive.
  
  
• The California Medical Association (CMA) provides a shorter and more business-like form that is good if you are already confident about what care you want or don't want.
  
  
• If you are in Santa Cruz County, you can get a sample copy of Five Wishes or the CMA form and free counseling by contacting us.
  
  
• Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) has comprehensive information to help you make decisions about advance care planning, and includes downloadable forms for every state in the US.

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