<p> ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND THEIR MEANING</p><p>WHAT IS A LIVING WILL? A living will is a statement from you that you wish to die a natural death. It tells others that you do not want extraordinary medical treatment or artificial nutrition or hydration used to keep you alive if there is no hope that you will recover. A living will gives your doctor permission to withhold or stop life support systems under certain conditions.</p><p>WHAT IS A WILL? A will is a legal statement of how you want your property to be distributed at death. A will is a guide for your executor or executrix to follow in distributing your estate. The use of a will gives you the right to decide who will receive your property and what share they get. A will is only valid upon your death – up until then it can be revoked or changed by you at any time. In North Carolina if you do not leave a will the State decides how your property will be divided.</p><p>WHAT IS A HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY? A health care power of attorney is a document that allows someone to make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. A health care power of attorney is the best assurance that your medical care will be handled the way you want if you become unable to make these decisions yourself.</p><p>WHAT IS A POWER OF ATTORNEY? A power of attorney is a document authorizing someone to act for you in areas you set out in the document. A durable power of attorney can be a general instrument that authorizes a wide range of actions, or it can be a specific power that authorizes an agent to act for you for a specific purpose. The durable power of attorney, which is effective only during your lifetime, names someone as your attorney in fact to handle your business and other non-medical decision-making when you are unable or unwilling to do so yourself.</p>