An advance directive is a written statement about your wishes for medical care. Advance directives make sure your wishes are carried out if you cannot communicate due to illness or injury. Mydirectives.com, Maryland’s repository for advance directives, is a free and easy way for you to complete and store this important document online.  

Downloadable Advance Directive Forms

MDH encourages everyone to do their advance directive online using MyDirectives.com. If you choose to do your advance directive on paper, use the links below to download an advance directive form and instructions. Once complete, these forms should be uploaded to MyDirectives.com, Maryland’s repository for advance directives. This makes access easy for you and your healthcare provider when it is needed. For downloadable forms in other languages, visit the Montgomery County Palliative Care and End of Life Coalition website. 

• English PDF version​​
  
• English Word version (coming soon)
• Advance Directive for Mental Health Treatment

Wallet Cards 

A wallet card alerts healthcare workers that you have an advance directive and provides contact names and numbers. Simply print, then fill out the card and carry it in your wallet. 

The American Hospital Association (AHA) also has a wallet card you can use, the AHA “Put It in Writing” wallet card.​​
Downloadable Wallet Card​​​
Downloadable AHA “Put it in Writing” Wallet Card​

Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST)​

A MOLST is different than an advance directive. A MOLST is created by your doctor. A MOLST contains specific medical orders for your current condition. An advance directive guides future healthcare decisions when you cannot speak for yourself.

MOLST contains orders about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other life-sustaining treatments. Visit the Maryland MOLST website for more information. 

Information on how to choose your Healthcare Agents

The person you name to make decisions about your healthcare is your “healthcare agent”. You can name a family member or someone else as your agent.  This person has the authority to see that doctors and other health care providers give you the type of care you want, and that they do not give you treatment against your wishes. Pick someone you trust to make these kinds of serious decisions for you. Talk to this person to make sure they understand and are willing to accept this responsibility.

The American Bar Association provides a toolkit for advance care planning that includes information about how to choose your health care agent. 

American Bar Association Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning

Information for Healthcare Agents

Detailed information for health care agents is available in the handbook "Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else: A Maryland Handbook". It explains the job description and provides tips for making good decisions. Sometimes surrogates, or healthcare agents, with equal authority (e.g., adult children) decide among themselves who they want to act as the sole healthcare agent. An example of a surrogate decision-making agreement may be accessed here.

Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else: A Maryland Handbook​

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Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning is simply thinking about and discussing your wishes for future medical care. It's not just for older adults or people who are sick. It's for everyone! It involves:

• Thinking: What's important to you when it comes to your health and how you want to live?
• Learning: Understanding different medical treatments and options. 
• Talking: Sharing your wishes with your loved ones and your healthcare provider.
• Writing: Putting your wishes in an advance directive, either online or in a written document.  

The American Bar Association has a toolkit with more information on advance care planning, the American Bar Association Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning.

Palliative Care

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) explains that palliative care and hospice care both focus on the comfort, care, and quality of life of individuals with a serious illness. Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care that is provided in the final weeks or months of life. Visit NIA’s website for more information on these types of care. 

The National Alliance for Care at Home provides resources and tools for families, providers, and caregivers. 

Other Resources

Aging with Dignity has resources available for individuals and families. 

Making Sense of Advance Directives and MOLST ​​

Medline Plus is an official website of the National Library of Medicine and offers advance directives in many languages.