Personal Directive

What is a Personal Directive?

A Personal Directive (also know as a Living Will) is a personal document where you write down what's important to you and give your Agent, family and care providers information about the care you want and do not want. A Personal Directive, or any Living Will, is not legally binding in Massachusetts, but is an essential part of your health care plan. It's "your voice" for the care you want when you are unable to speak for yourself.

You can use the Honoring Choices Personal Directive in several ways:

to start a discussion with your family or anyone important to you;
to write down your instructions for your Health Care Agent;
to start your health care plan if you have not yet chosen a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy.

Here's how it works:

Download the free Personal Directive, the short or long form
The Short Form, is a great way to get started especially for adults enjoying good health
The Long Form includes all the information in the short form and adds your choices for end of life care
This is your personal document. You can write in anything you want: messages for others, actions to take, instructions for care while you recover or end of life care & treatment decisions.
You can makes changes and additions to this document as you health needs and choices change over time
It's simple to complete. You can do-it-yourself

Create Your Own Personal Directive

Review the informational fact sheets in the blue boxes below
Download a Personal Directive Instructions & Document Short Form or Long Form, or
Download the "Getting Started Tool Kit" which contains a Health Care Proxy, Personal Directive (short form), and discussion guides

Download Personal Directive (English)

Go to "Personal Directive" in 9 Languages

Information & Tools

Find informational fact sheets, documents & tools in the boxes below.

Things to Know About a Personal Directive

Things to Know About A Personal Directive is a free downloadable informational fact sheet which provides answers to commonly asked questions about making your own Personal Directive.

It includes answers to:

1. What is a Personal Directive?

2. What is the difference between a Health Care Proxy and a Personal Directive?

3. Who can create a Personal Directive?

4. How does a Personal Directive work?

5. Can I change my mind or cancel or revoke a Personal Directive?

6. How do I complete a Personal Directive?

Personal Directive Instructions & Document (Short Form)

You can make your own Personal Directive. This is a short form you can use at any phase of health. Adults who a generally enjoy good health and managing early illness report they like to start with this form. It helps their Agent and family know how to care for them if they have a illness or injury. The Personal Directive long form picks up where this leaves off and can be completed anytime you like. Just download a free Personal Directive Instructions & Document (English) Short Form.

Personal Directive Instructions & Document Short Form (Spanish)

Personal Directive Instructions & Document (Long Form)

Things to Know About Life-Sustaining Treatments

Things to Know About Life- Sustaining Treatments is a free downloadable informational fact sheet. Life-sustaining treatment refers to medical treatments that are used to prolong life by supporting an essential body function, such as the heart beating, breathing or adequate nutrition, when that body function is not able to work on its own. This fact sheet offers some general information on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Artificial Ventilation/Breathing, and Artificial Nutrition. You can use this to start a discussion with your care providers about your specific medical condition and the risks, benefits and possible outcomes of attempting or not-attempting life-sustaining treatment.

Getting Started Tool Kit — It’s as Easy as 1-2-3

You can download the Massachusetts Health Care Proxy Instructions & Document as a single document, or as part of the Getting Started Tool Kit.

The tool kit helps you start your health care plan and includes:

Appointing a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy
Telling your Agent and family what you want for care in a Personal Directive (short form)
Talking with your doctors to match care to your choices. It's the first step to making your health care plan.

Did You Know?

Father seated. Daughter hugging him from behind.

It's your choice. The law supports a competent adult's right to make care decisions — even if others think it an unwise or a bad decision.

Even though the Personal Directive or any Living Will in MA is not legally binding on your doctors, it gives all your care providers clear evidence of what you want and do not want for care.