The module defines and describes the purpose of advance directives. It also outlines the primary care practitioner’s responsibility related to advance directives. After completing this module, practitioners will be able to differentiate living wills and health care proxy documents, convey appropriate and timely information on advance directives to patients and their families, and identify patient characteristics consistent with a lack of decision-making capacity.

Audience: RN/IP

Care of Older Adults in the Long-Term Care Setting (COA-LTC) is a series created by the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing (HIGN) at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, in partnership with ArchCare, the Continuing Care Community of the Archdiocese of New York. The program was created to assure that all healthcare team members have the knowledge to care for older adults in long-term care settings. The program promotes team-based, coordinated, person-centered, evidence-based care for older adults.