Advanced Directives  By Dr. Gregory Kosters, DO, FACOFP Avera Medical Group Sibley and Osceola Regional Health Center If you get a major illness or get injured and that illness or injury leaves you unable to communicate, have you taken steps to make sure you are cared for in the way you desire? There are ways to help make sure your wishes are carried out. We call these “advanced directives”. There are several types of advanced directives: living wills, durable power of attorney for health care, as well as POLST/DNR orders. Living wills serve as an expression of your wishes and treatment preferences should you suffer from a terminal condition, or other permanent condition in which you are unable to communicate. Treatment preferences may include your wishes about being on a ventilator, feeding tube, dialysis or other life sustaining treatments. There are different types of forms that help you achieve and set this up. A durable power of attorney for health care is where you designate a person who will make medical decisions for you if you are rendered unable to communicate or make decisions because of a medical condition. This does not take effect unless you are deemed unable to communicate and is revocable if you recover and regain [...]