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Advance Directives in Nebraska

An advance directive is a statement you make regarding the medical care you would like in a particular situation prior to actually needing the care. There are different types of advance directives. The two most common are:
  • living wills and
  • durable powers of attorney for health care.

A living will is a written statement describing the type of care you would want if you were suffering from a terminal illness or were in a persistent vegetative state.  For example, your living will may say that you don’t want your life prolonged with machines or that you don’t want tube feedings or IVs to provide you with fluids.


Downloads

  • Living Will Form PDF PDF  MS Word Word
  • Nebraska Power of Attorney for Health Care Form PDF PDF  MS Word Word

In order to sign a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care, you must be at least 19 years of age and competent. If younger than 19, you must be either married or divorced, and competent.

PDF Surrogate Decision Making in Nebraska   PDF en Español
This booklet provides information on advance directives, powers of attorney, and other ways of allowing someone to make decisions on behalf of another person.
Your living will could also say that you want everything possible done to keep you alive. It’s important that it be a statement of your intent.

A durable power of attorney for health care is a document you sign in which you appoint an agent to make your medical decisions for you if you aren’t able to make them due to incapacitation.

Both living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care are recognized by Nebraska law.

In order to sign a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care, you must be at least 19 years of age and competent. If younger than 19, you must be either married or divorced, and competent.

For information contact your lawyer or the legal services provider at your local Area Agency on Aging.

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