National Healthcare Decisions Day aims to help people across the U.S. understand the value of advance healthcare planning. For 2017, NHDD will be a week long event, from April 16 to 22.

The New York State Health Care Proxy Law allows you to appoint someone you trust – for example, a family member or close friend – to make health care decisions for you if you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. By appointing a health care agent, you can make sure that health care providers follow your wishes. Your agent can also decide how your wishes apply as your medical condition changes. Hospitals, doctors and other other health care providers must follow your agent’s decisions as if they were your own.

Read more about health care agents and complete a Health Care Proxy form.