The living will or advance directive provides guidance to your health care agent about the medical decisions to be made at the end of your life if you are unable to make or communicate these decisions to your health care provider. Your living will may provide for situations that involve end-stage medical conditions from which there is no reasonable hope of any meaningful recovery. 

Generally, a living will is distinct from your health care power of attorney document, though they may overlap. If you only have a living will in place, this may not give authority to your appointed health care agent to make medical decisions on your behalf other than for end-of-life care. So, it’s imperative that you have both a health care power of attorney and living will in place to provide guidance for your health care agent to make medical decisions for all stages of your life.

In Florida, there is also the option to appoint a pre-need guardian. However, the Durable Power of Attorney and Designation of Health Care Surrogate can be used instead of the guardian language.