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Comprehensive Guide to Healthcare Directives in Danville
Navigating healthcare directives is an important part of estate planning for Danville residents. A well-prepared directive communicates your medical preferences and appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so yourself. This guide outlines the role of healthcare directives, how they function in California law, and the steps Danville residents can take to make sure their wishes are honored. By creating clear, legally valid documents and sharing them with loved ones and healthcare providers, you reduce uncertainty and help ensure medical decisions align with your values in critical moments.
LA Estate Plans focuses on assisting Danville families and individuals with healthcare directives that reflect personal values and practical needs. Whether you are beginning your estate planning or updating existing documents, understanding the components of a healthcare directive and how to implement it in California will save time and reduce stress for your loved ones. We emphasize clear communication, careful document preparation, and proper distribution to ensure directives are available when needed. This introduction will help you understand why healthcare planning matters and how to take meaningful steps to protect your medical wishes.
Why Healthcare Directives Are Important for Danville Residents
Healthcare directives provide clarity about your medical wishes and designate a trusted person to make decisions when you cannot speak for yourself. In Danville, having this written guidance helps avoid disputes, reduces emotional stress for family members, and ensures your values guide medical care. A directive also speeds up decision-making during emergencies, making it easier for providers to act in accordance with your preferences. Preparing a directive helps you consider various treatment scenarios and document choices that reflect your priorities, ensuring medical care aligns with your beliefs and reduces uncertainty for all parties involved.
About LA Estate Plans and Our Support for Danville Clients
LA Estate Plans serves Danville with a focus on personalized estate planning and healthcare directives that meet California legal standards. Our team assists clients in clarifying medical wishes, choosing appropriate document language, and identifying a trusted decision-maker. We place emphasis on comprehensive communication and practical guidance, ensuring clients understand each step from drafting to execution and distribution. The process we follow is designed to create durable, clear directives that homeowners, retirees, and families can rely on in times of medical uncertainty, keeping priorities and legal requirements aligned.
Understanding Healthcare Directives and Their Role in Estate Planning
A healthcare directive is a legal instrument that sets out your medical treatment preferences and designates someone to make healthcare decisions if you cannot do so. For Danville residents, it typically includes a living will component and a document granting durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions. The living will expresses preferences about life-sustaining treatments and end-of-life care, while the durable power of attorney names an agent to interpret and enforce those wishes. Understanding these components helps you prepare a directive that is enforceable, clear, and useful in a variety of medical situations that might arise.
In California, a healthcare directive must meet specific formalities to be recognized by medical providers and institutions. It is important to use precise language and follow signing and witnessing requirements so the document will be accepted when needed. Beyond legal formalities, the directive should reflect thoughtful consideration of your healthcare values and communication with your chosen decision-maker. Sharing copies with family members and healthcare providers, and reviewing the directive periodically, helps maintain its relevance and ensures your healthcare plans continue to reflect your wishes over time.
What a Healthcare Directive Is and How It Operates
A healthcare directive serves two main functions: it records your preferences about medical treatments and it names a healthcare agent to make decisions for you when you cannot. This dual role helps medical professionals and family members understand your wishes during emergent or long-term situations. The directive can include instructions about life-sustaining treatment, pain control, organ donation, and other medical choices. Drafting the directive with clear, specific language reduces ambiguity and helps ensure that health providers in Danville and across California can follow your stated preferences without delay or confusion.
Key Elements and Steps to Create an Effective Healthcare Directive
Creating a healthcare directive involves identifying your values and medical preferences, selecting a healthcare agent, drafting clear instructions, and following California’s execution rules. The process begins with conversations about your priorities and then moves to precise drafting that addresses likely scenarios you want covered. Once drafted, the directive must be signed and witnessed according to state law, and copies should be distributed to your agent, physicians, and family. Periodic review and updates ensure the directive reflects any changes in your health, relationships, or wishes over time.
Essential Terms to Know When Planning Healthcare Directives
Familiarity with key terminology helps you understand the roles and documents involved in healthcare directives. Terms such as healthcare agent, living will, durable power of attorney for healthcare, and advance directive define how decisions are made and who is authorized to act. Understanding these definitions helps you make informed choices and communicate effectively with your chosen decision-maker and medical providers. Learning the language of directives reduces uncertainty and makes the process of creating, signing, and sharing your directive clearer and more manageable.
Healthcare Agent
A healthcare agent is the person you designate to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot make them yourself. This individual should understand your values and be willing to communicate with medical teams and family members about your wishes. Choosing an agent involves assessing their availability, judgment, and ability to handle sensitive conversations and stressful situations. You should discuss your preferences with them and provide clear guidance so they feel prepared to represent your interests and follow the instructions laid out in your healthcare directive.
Living Will
A living will is a document that sets forth your preferences regarding certain medical treatments, particularly in circumstances involving terminal illness or permanent unconsciousness. It specifies which life-sustaining measures you would accept or decline and can provide guidance about pain management, resuscitation, and artificial nutrition and hydration. A living will complements the appointment of a healthcare agent by offering written instructions that clarify your wishes, reducing the burden on decision-makers and helping medical providers administer care consistent with your stated values and instructions.
Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
A durable power of attorney for healthcare is a legal instrument that allows you to appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for you if you are incapacitated. Unlike a general power of attorney for financial matters, this document remains effective when you are unable to make medical decisions and empowers your agent to authorize or refuse treatments on your behalf. It should include clear language about the extent of the agent’s authority and any limitations you want to place on their decision-making, ensuring that your preferences guide medical care.
Advance Healthcare Directive
An advance healthcare directive typically combines a living will and a durable power of attorney for healthcare into a single document. It enables you to record treatment preferences and appoint a decision-maker for medical matters in one place. This consolidated approach simplifies planning and makes it easier for providers and family members to locate and follow your written instructions. Including both elements in an advance directive ensures that both your choices and the authority of your designated agent are clear and readily accessible when needed.
Comparing Limited and Comprehensive Healthcare Directive Approaches
When planning a healthcare directive in Danville, you can opt for a limited approach that addresses specific treatments or a comprehensive approach that covers a broad range of scenarios and contingency plans. Limited directives may be appropriate for focused preferences, while comprehensive directives provide detailed instructions and reduce gaps in guidance. Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each approach involves considering your health history, family dynamics, and comfort with delegating decision-making. Thoughtful comparison helps you select a plan that best aligns with your priorities and provides clarity during medical events.
When a Focused Healthcare Directive May Be Appropriate:
Clear, Specific Medical Preferences
A limited directive can be sufficient if you have well-defined preferences about certain medical interventions and do not wish to address every possible scenario. For example, if you want to document refusal of particular life-sustaining treatments or specify comfort-focused care in narrowly defined situations, a focused document can communicate those wishes clearly without extensive legal language. This approach reduces complexity and may be easier to review and update. It can be appropriate for people with straightforward wishes who want concise, direct instructions for their care.
Simplified Decision-Making Preference
Choosing a limited directive suits individuals who prefer simplicity in their planning and want to minimize legal formality while still documenting key medical choices. This option may be preferable for those who trust their appointed decision-maker to interpret general wishes and who want to avoid long lists of contingencies. A focused document can make it easier for an agent and medical personnel to find and follow core instructions during urgent situations. Regular review ensures the limited scope continues to reflect current wishes and medical realities.
Why a Comprehensive Healthcare Directive Often Makes Sense:
Addressing Diverse Medical Scenarios
A comprehensive directive covers a wide array of medical situations and provides detailed instructions that reduce uncertainty for decision-makers and care teams. When medical circumstances vary unexpectedly, having broad yet clear guidance helps ensure your wishes are respected across many contexts. Comprehensive planning anticipates different levels of care, potential complications, and long-term scenarios, making it easier for your agent to act in alignment with your values and for medical professionals to implement treatment plans without delay or confusion.
Preventing Family Disagreement and Misunderstanding
Detailed directives reduce the likelihood of disputes among family members by documenting your preferences and granting clear authority to your chosen decision-maker. When expectations and instructions are laid out in writing, it minimizes ambiguity about what you would want in various circumstances. This clarity supports smoother communication between family, the appointed agent, and treating clinicians, reducing stress in tense moments. For those who wish to limit potential conflicts, a comprehensive directive can provide a strong framework for honoring personal medical choices.
Advantages of Choosing a Comprehensive Healthcare Directive
A comprehensive directive offers enhanced clarity about treatment preferences, appointment of a decision-maker, and guidance across multiple medical scenarios. It helps ensure that medical care aligns closely with your values by specifying preferences for life support, palliative measures, and other interventions. With broader coverage, your agent and healthcare team can make timely, informed choices that reflect your wishes without needing to guess at unknown preferences. This approach increases confidence that your directives will be recognized and followed when health situations become complex.
Comprehensive planning also reduces stress for family members by spelling out decision-making authority and treatment boundaries clearly. When instructions are specific and distributed to the right people, loved ones are less likely to feel uncertain or burdened with making difficult choices under pressure. The directive serves as a guide for both emotional and clinical decisions, helping align care with your personal goals. Periodic review maintains relevance and ensures the document continues to reflect changes in medical technology, personal relationships, and individual preferences.
Greater Control Over Treatment Preferences
A comprehensive directive enables you to communicate nuanced preferences about medical care, such as pain management, resuscitation, and long-term interventions. By addressing a range of treatments and situations, the document gives clearer direction to both your appointed agent and medical providers. This greater level of detail reduces ambiguity so that care decisions are better aligned with your wishes. Thoughtful drafting helps ensure that the specific outcomes and values you prioritize are honored during times when you cannot speak for yourself.
Reduced Burden on Loved Ones
When a directive outlines detailed instructions and designates decision-making authority, family members are spared from guessing how you would want to be treated. This reduces emotional strain during medical crises and helps prevent disagreements about the right course of action. Clear documentation enables relatives to focus on providing support rather than making high-stakes choices with incomplete information. Ultimately, comprehensive planning brings a level of predictability to difficult situations that benefits both the patient and their family.
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Practical Tips for Preparing Healthcare Directives in Danville
Communicate Your Wishes Clearly
When preparing a healthcare directive, use clear and specific language to describe the treatments you would or would not want. Avoid vague phrases and instead provide focused guidance about scenarios that matter to you, such as preferences for life-sustaining measures, pain control, or organ donation. Discuss your intentions with your chosen decision-maker and family so everyone understands the reasoning behind your choices. Clear communication helps reduce interpretation disputes and increases the likelihood that your healthcare preferences will be followed when it matters most.
Choose Your Healthcare Agent Carefully
Review and Update Regularly
Life circumstances, health conditions, and personal preferences change over time, so it is important to review your healthcare directive periodically. Revisit the document after major life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, changes in health, or relocation. Updating the directive ensures it continues to reflect your wishes and that the named agent remains appropriate. Share updated copies with your chosen agent, family, and medical providers so everyone has access to the most current information when decisions are needed.
Why Establishing a Healthcare Directive Makes Sense
Creating a healthcare directive protects your autonomy by documenting medical preferences and naming someone to act on your behalf when you cannot communicate. It reduces uncertainty for family members and gives medical professionals clear guidance to follow, which can speed decision-making during emergencies. For Danville residents, having a properly executed directive also helps ensure compliance with California laws and hospital procedures, making it easier for providers to implement care that aligns with your values. Taking this step promotes peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
A directive is valuable for anyone who wants to preserve control over medical choices regardless of age or current health. It is particularly helpful for people with chronic conditions, those undergoing surgery, older adults, or anyone who wants to avoid ambiguity in emergency situations. Documenting your wishes clearly guides your appointed decision-maker and reduces the emotional burden on family members who might otherwise need to make high-stakes choices without guidance. Advance planning provides reassurance that your preferences will be known and respected.
Common Situations Where a Healthcare Directive Is Especially Important
Healthcare directives are especially useful in circumstances such as serious illness, planned surgery, unexpected medical emergencies, or progressive conditions that may impair decision-making. They also matter for older adults planning for potential cognitive decline or anyone who wants to prevent ambiguity about end-of-life care. By documenting preferences ahead of time, individuals can ensure that treatment choices reflect their values and avoid situations in which courts or family members must decide without clear guidance. Advance planning helps ensure smoother transitions during medical crises.
Chronic or Terminal Illness
If you have a chronic or terminal condition, a healthcare directive ensures that your preferences for ongoing or end-of-life care are clearly documented and respected. It can specify preferences for life-sustaining treatments, hospice care, and pain management, and it appoints an agent to make decisions consistent with those choices. Having this guidance reduces the burden on family members during emotionally difficult times and helps clinicians provide care that aligns with your documented values and expectations throughout the course of illness.
Unexpected Medical Emergencies
In an emergency where you cannot communicate, a healthcare directive provides immediate guidance to medical teams and your designated agent about the treatments you would want or decline. This can be crucial after accidents or sudden illness, when quick decisions are required and family members may not know your preferences. Having written instructions on file helps prevent unwanted interventions and supports timely medical care that respects your priorities, giving clarity to everyone involved at a stressful time.
Planning for Age-Related Changes
As people age, the likelihood of facing medical situations that impair decision-making increases. Establishing a healthcare directive ahead of time ensures older adults maintain control over their medical preferences and appoint a trusted agent to act in accordance with those wishes. This planning supports dignity and comfort in care choices, reduces family disputes, and makes transitions in medical care more straightforward. Regular review ensures the directive remains aligned with any changes in health status or personal priorities over time.
We Are Here to Help Danville Residents with Healthcare Directives
Why Choose LA Estate Plans for Healthcare Directive Assistance
LA Estate Plans focuses on helping Danville residents design healthcare directives that clearly reflect personal values and legal requirements. We take time to understand your priorities, guide thoughtful conversations with your designated agent, and prepare documents with precise language to reduce ambiguity. Our process includes reviewing potential scenarios, explaining California execution rules, and recommending distribution plans to ensure directives are available when needed. The emphasis is on practical, client-centered planning that supports reliable decision-making during medical situations.
Our team assists clients through each step of the directive process, from the initial discussion and drafting to signing and distributing final documents. We provide advice on proper witnessing and execution so your directive will be accepted by medical institutions in Danville and beyond. We also recommend timely reviews and updates to keep documents current with life changes. This straightforward approach helps clients feel confident that their medical preferences will be honored, and that their loved ones will have clear guidance during critical moments.
Beyond preparing the documents, we help clients communicate their wishes to family and medical providers to reduce confusion when decisions arise. We can suggest methods for securely storing copies and sharing them with the appropriate parties. Our goal is to make the process manageable and to ensure the directive functions as intended when it matters most. We strive to offer practical, accessible support that helps residents of Danville plan for the unexpected and preserve their healthcare preferences.
Contact LA Estate Plans to Discuss Your Healthcare Directive Today
How We Handle Healthcare Directive Preparation at LA Estate Plans
Our process is designed to be collaborative and easy to follow. We begin with a consultation to discuss your healthcare values and document goals, followed by careful drafting that addresses the scenarios you care about most. After reviewing the draft together, we finalize the directive and guide you through proper execution and distribution. We provide instructions for witnessing and help ensure copies reach your agent, healthcare providers, and family members. Periodic reviews are recommended to keep documents current with life events and changes in health.
Initial Consultation and Information Gathering
The first step involves a conversation about your healthcare preferences, personal values, and any specific medical scenarios you want the directive to address. We also discuss potential agents and how they can carry out your wishes. Gathering this information allows us to draft a document that reflects your priorities and anticipates practical challenges. We will explain California’s legal requirements for execution and witnessing, and recommend how to share copies with relevant parties so the directive will be accessible when needed.
Discussing Your Wishes and Priorities
In this stage we talk through treatment preferences you want documented, such as preferences for life-sustaining care, pain management, and other critical interventions. We encourage open conversation about values, goals for quality of life, and concerns that could affect medical choices. These discussions help shape the document’s tone and level of detail so that it accurately represents your intentions and provides clear guidance to the person you name to make decisions for you.
Choosing the Right Decision-Maker
Selecting an agent involves assessing the person’s availability, communication skills, and willingness to advocate on your behalf. We discuss alternatives and the possibility of naming a successor agent in case your primary choice is unavailable. Talking with your chosen agent before finalizing the directive helps ensure they understand your wishes and are prepared for the responsibilities involved. Preparing them in advance reduces stress and increases the likelihood that your instructions will be followed thoughtfully.
Drafting and Reviewing the Healthcare Directive
Once your wishes and agent choices are clear, we draft the healthcare directive using precise language to minimize ambiguity. The draft addresses key scenarios and provides instructions for various treatments and preferences. We review the document with you in detail, making adjustments as needed to reflect your intentions accurately. This review stage ensures you are comfortable with the wording and scope of the directive before proceeding to execution, and it allows us to incorporate any final clarifications or limitations you want included.
Preparing Clear, Effective Document Language
Clear document language is essential so medical teams and your appointed agent can interpret your wishes without confusion. During drafting we focus on specificity where it matters, describing scenarios and preferences in understandable terms and avoiding vague phrases. This careful wording helps ensure that the directive will be useful in urgent circumstances and will be recognized by hospitals and other care providers. The goal is to create a practical document that functions as intended when decisions must be made.
Review and Revisions with Client Input
We review the draft with you, answer questions, and revise language as needed to ensure the directive aligns with your expectations. This collaborative review allows for refinements that address unique family situations, health conditions, or personal preferences. After you are satisfied with the content, we prepare the final version and provide guidance on proper signing and witnessing. This step ensures the directive both reflects your wishes and meets California’s legal formality requirements.
Execution, Distribution, and Ongoing Maintenance
After finalizing the directive, we guide you through proper execution, including required signatures and witness procedures under California law. We recommend distributing copies to your healthcare agent, family members, and medical providers, and storing the original in a safe but accessible place. We also advise periodic reviews to update the directive when life events or health conditions change. Ongoing maintenance ensures the document remains current and continues to reflect your wishes over time.
Signing, Witnessing, and Notarization Where Appropriate
Proper execution requires observing California’s rules for signatures and witnesses so the directive will be accepted by healthcare institutions. We explain who should witness the signed document and whether notary acknowledgment is recommended for added assurance. Following these procedures increases the likelihood that providers in Danville and beyond will honor your directive. Clear instructions on signing reduce the risk of challenges to the document at critical moments and help ensure your preferences are given proper effect.
Distributing Copies and Updating Over Time
Once executed, it is important to provide copies to your appointed agent, health care providers, and close family members so that instructions are available when decisions are needed. Keep the original in a secure but accessible location and inform your agent where it can be found. Reviewing the directive periodically and updating it as life changes occur ensures continued alignment with your values and medical preferences. Maintaining clear lines of communication about updates helps reduce confusion and ensures the right people have current information.
The Proof is in Our Performance
Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare Directives in Danville
What is a healthcare directive and why do I need one?
A healthcare directive is a legal document that records your medical treatment preferences and appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot. It typically includes instructions about life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation, and other interventions, and names a healthcare agent who is authorized to act in accordance with those instructions. Preparing a directive ensures that your values and choices guide medical care when you are unable to communicate them yourself. Having a directive reduces uncertainty and helps ensure that medical decisions reflect your preferences. Creating a directive also benefits your loved ones by providing clear guidance in stressful circumstances. Without a written document, decision-making can fall to family members or medical personnel who may not know your wishes. A directive helps avoid conflicts and shortens the time it takes to implement a care plan that aligns with your goals. It is therefore a proactive step that protects your autonomy and supports thoughtful, timely medical decision-making.
Who can I appoint as my healthcare agent?
You can appoint any trusted adult as your healthcare agent, such as a family member, friend, or another individual who understands your values and is willing to make medical decisions on your behalf. The person you choose should be available, able to communicate effectively with medical teams, and willing to represent your wishes even in difficult situations. It is helpful to identify someone who knows your preferences and can be relied upon to act responsibly when sensitive choices arise. It is also wise to name an alternate agent in case your primary choice is unavailable or unable to serve. Discuss your wishes with the person you select so they are prepared for the role and understand your priorities. Clear conversations and written guidance in the directive make it easier for your agent to carry out your intentions when medical decisions are required.
Can I change or revoke my healthcare directive?
Yes, you can change or revoke your healthcare directive at any time as long as you have the mental capacity to do so. Revising the document allows you to update preferences, change your appointed agent, or reflect new medical circumstances. To revoke a prior directive, you typically create a new document or a written revocation signed according to California requirements, and then distribute the updated version to your agent, family, and medical providers to prevent confusion. It is important to notify your appointed agent and healthcare providers when you make changes so they are aware of the most current instructions. Regular review and communication help ensure that the directive remains aligned with your values and is followed when decisions must be made. Keeping copies of the latest version accessible reduces the risk of an outdated document being used.
Will hospitals in California follow my healthcare directive?
Hospitals and healthcare providers in California generally follow properly executed healthcare directives that meet state requirements. To ensure a directive will be honored, it should be clearly written, signed, and witnessed according to California law. Providing copies to your healthcare providers and including the document in your medical records at the hospital increases the likelihood that staff will be able to apply your instructions when necessary. If there are concerns about interpretation or conflicts, having an appointed agent who can advocate for your wishes can help ensure your preferences are respected. Clear and specific instructions reduce ambiguity for clinicians and support quicker alignment between your directives and the care delivered during emergencies and ongoing treatment.
What should I include in my living will?
A living will should include clear statements about your preferences for life-sustaining treatments, such as resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, and other interventions you may accept or refuse in certain situations. It can also address comfort-focused care and preferences for hospice or palliative care. Be as specific as possible about your values and the circumstances under which particular treatments should or should not be used to guide decision-makers and medical teams. Including situational examples and general goals for quality of life can help your agent interpret your wishes when unexpected circumstances arise. Discussing these preferences with your appointed agent and family members ensures they understand your priorities and can advocate effectively on your behalf when decisions must be made.
Do I need witnesses or a notary to sign a directive in California?
In California, healthcare directives should be signed and witnessed according to state rules to ensure they are recognized by medical institutions. While requirements can vary for different documents, following the proper witness and signature procedures provides clarity and reduces the chance of disputes over validity. In some situations, notarization may be recommended to add another level of formality and verification, although it is not always mandatory for every type of advance directive. We recommend following California execution guidelines closely and providing copies to your healthcare providers and agent. Properly executed documents are more readily accepted by hospitals and clinicians, and they help ensure that your wishes will be followed when decisions need to be made quickly.
How do I make sure my agent knows my wishes?
To make sure your agent knows your wishes, have candid conversations about your values, priorities, and specific treatment preferences. Provide written guidance and discuss realistic scenarios so the person can understand the reasoning behind your choices. Regular communication and shared discussions about what matters most will prepare the agent to act confidently and consistently with your stated intentions when decisions become necessary. Providing copies of your directive to the agent, discussing potential scenarios, and checking in periodically helps keep everyone informed as circumstances or preferences change. Preparing your agent in this way reduces uncertainty and increases the likelihood that your medical preferences will be honored during critical moments.
Should I include preferences about pain management and palliative care?
Including preferences about pain management and palliative care in your directive ensures that your wishes regarding comfort and symptom control are known to healthcare providers and your agent. Describing whether you prioritize comfort over aggressive interventions, or how you want pain and distress to be managed, can guide clinical decisions that affect your quality of life in serious illness. These preferences are an important part of a balanced directive that considers both life-sustaining treatment and comfort-focused care. Discuss these topics with your agent and healthcare team so they understand the limits or priorities you place on pain control, sedation, or palliative measures. Clear guidance helps medical staff align treatment plans with your goals while supporting the agent in conversations about options that affect comfort and dignity.
How often should I review my healthcare directive?
It is wise to review your healthcare directive periodically and after significant life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, changes in health, or relocation. Routine review ensures your document reflects current preferences and that the person you named as agent remains an appropriate choice. Revisiting the directive every few years or when circumstances change helps maintain its relevance and utility when decisions must be made. When you update the directive, distribute the revised version to your agent, family, and healthcare providers to ensure everyone is aware of the latest instructions. Keeping a record of updates and notifying key people reduces the risk of an older version being used during a medical event.
What if my family disagrees with my directive?
If family members disagree with your directive, clear documentation of your wishes and the designation of an agent can reduce conflict by demonstrating your intent. Having a written directive that follows legal formalities provides a strong basis for healthcare providers and institutions to respect your preferences even if family members object. It is helpful to discuss your decisions with family in advance to explain the reasons behind your choices and to reduce misunderstandings when difficult decisions arise. If disputes persist, healthcare providers often look to the legally executed directive and the authority of the appointed agent. Open communication, early planning, and documentation help minimize the chance of prolonged disagreements and ensure that medical care aligns with your stated wishes as much as possible.