State-By-State Resources
Each state has its own regulations and specific legal documents you must complete and sign to ensure that your end-of-life wishes are followed.
The American Bar Association has created a Healthcare Power of Attorney document that is valid in 45 of the 50 states. Click here to download their Universal Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare.
Five states — Indiana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas and Wyoming — require that you use a form specifically prepared by their state.
Healthcare Advance Directive Documents can also be downloaded for each of the 50 states.
Organ and Tissue Donation Requirements and details on how to register are available for all 50 states.
National Resources
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) are designed to improve the quality of care that people receive at the end of life. POLST is a standardized medical form that indicates the specific types of treatment a seriously ill patient does or does not wish to receive. Many states now have or are implementing POLST programs.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) has an excellent directory to help you locate hospice care providers in your area.
CaringBridge is a nonprofit web service providing free, personal and private websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends. The websites are easy to create and use enabling health updates and photos to be shared and responded to.
Educational Resources
Selected Articles offer quick reads related to end-of-life issues.
Selected Books provide more in-depth knowledge about healthcare and finance issues, care of the body, the funeral or memorial service, and emotional support.
Selected Films include documentaries about end-of-life issues, movies with a theme related to death and dying, plus a list of funny movies about death.
DeathWise Videos provide first-person accounts about why you should do your end-of-life planning now, and how you can best prepare for death.
Our Glossary provides a quick reference to words and phrases commonly used in the financial, healthcare and funeral industries.
