Which of the following is the legal term for an advance directive that specifies an individual's end-of-life wishes for medical treatment without necessarily appointing a designee to make legal decisions for him or her?

A. living will
B. durable power of attorney
C. patient self-determination
D. health care proxy
E. instructive directive at end of life

A. living will

A living will directly provides instructions to physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers involved in a patient's treatment about end-of-life issues. A durable power of attorney is an advance directive that confers upon a designee the authority to make a variety of legal decisions on behalf of the grantor, usually including health care decisions. A health care proxy is a durable power of attorney issued for purposes of health care decisions only. As with the living will, this document outlines specific types of care and treatment that should be permitted or excluded. It also carefully outlines the specific responsibilities and authority of the proxy.