How to document medical wishes in Illinois

In many instances, people who suffer from unexpected life-threatening diseases or injuries are unable to communicate and make decisions for themselves. Advance directives are legal, written instructions that document a person’s medical wishes should they be unable to make decisions for themselves in such situations. Advance directives may help family and friends of the patient avoid disagreements over decision-making during such a difficult time and allow doctors to provide the best medical care for the patient as they near the end of their life. For more on advance directives, click here.

Instructions in advance directives vary from state to state. If you reside in Illinois, you can find further information about advance directives and get started on creating one by filling out this form. It is important to note that advance directives in Illinois must be signed in the presence of witnesses for it to be legal. The form above contains the Illinois Statutory Short Form and the Illinois statutory Living Will Form. They are each effective under different circumstances, and the number and criteria for witnesses are also different for each. The form packet contains more information about each form and its witnesses. If you have further questions about advance directives and any content within the Illinois Advance Directive form, we recommend that you contact your lawyer or doctor for expert advice on the matter.