It’s not easy thinking about the end of your life, but in this day and age most people realize it’s important to document your wishes in a living will and to appoint another person to be your health care agent. These legal documents can ensure that your wishes for treatment are followed even if you can no longer speak for yourself. But these forms are only valuable to the extent that your health care providers see them or your loved ones can produce them in a moment of crisis. In some states, there are now regulations that allow you to register your documents in a central data bank- making it easier to ensure the necessary paperwork is available in a medical emergency. There are also private websites that allow you to register your advance directives if your state does not have its own system. No matter what, it’s critical that your loved ones understand your wishes, know where your documents are and have the ability to share these directives with your health care providers should the need arise. To learn more about state and private advance directive registries, Read Here.