The following information provided is designed to assist you in several ways. First, we answer the most common questions about ADs. These answers provide you the information you need to complete an AD. At the end, you should be able to either write your own AD, or when you read an existing form, you should be able to understand its content.

• About ADs
• What is an AD?
• Who should have an AD?
• Preparing your AD
• When should I prepare my AD?
• Do I need help preparing my AD?
• Should I use an existing form or write my own AD?
• What information should I put in my AD?
• Types of ADs
• Three existing types of ADs
• Examples of ADs used by Shands HealthCare
• Guide to selecting your surrogate decision maker
• Completing your AD
• What are the steps in completing my AD?
• Can I change my AD?
• Reminders about completing your AD
• Making your AD effective
• How do I make my AD most effective?
• When does my AD go into effect?
• Other helpful resources