Advance directives let a Tampa senior control their medical care if they can't speak for themselves. Florida recognizes several.
The documents
A living will states wishes about life-prolonging treatment; a health-care surrogate designation names someone to make medical decisions; and a DNR order (signed by a physician) addresses resuscitation. Florida has statutory forms for each.
Make them effective
Sign them properly, give copies to the surrogate, doctors, and the care community, and revisit them periodically. They prevent painful guesswork in a crisis.
How Tampa Senior Advisor can help
We're a free, local senior-care advisory service for Tampa Bay families. We don't charge you — communities pay us a referral fee only if you choose to move in. If any of this feels overwhelming, tell us what's going on and we'll point you to the right next step, whether or not it involves a paid placement.