29 Jun Ask Alice July 2021

Dear Alice,

Hi! With the help of Taking Steps Brattleboro, I filled out a short form VT advance directive (AD) and registered it with the VT Advance Directive Registry several years ago. As promised, I get periodic letters from the Registry reminding me to think about whether my AD needs to be updated. Until now, I haven’t needed to modify anything. This past year brought many changes to my life, however, some good and some bad; and I do need to make some changes to my AD document now. Can you tell me how to do this?

Thanks, Needing a Change

Dear Needing a Change,

Absolutely!

Since periodically reviewing and updating your AD is expected and encouraged, the Vermont Ethics Network (VEN) and Vermont Advance Directive Registry (VADR) try to keep the modification process as easy as possible. Indeed, they have recently made it even easier, by eliminating Authorization to Change forms and creating a single registration cover sheet for all registrations, regardless of whether it is the registrant’s first AD filing or a change/replacement for a previously filed AD.

Nonetheless, there is no getting around the legal requirement that if you are making any substantive changes to your document (that is, you are changing your agent(s) or your treatment goals, preferences, guidelines, etc.), you are going to have to go through the signing and witnessing process again. Moreover, experience has shown that having more than one document with more than one date creates confusion, for providers as well as agents and family members. Thus, since you have to do the signing and witnessing again anyway, it just makes the most sense to go ahead and redo the whole document, totally replacing the old AD with the new version rather than just adding an amendment.

So how does this play out, step-by-step, as a practical matter? In many ways, the process is the same as when you filled out and registered your short form AD several years ago – but with the BIG difference that you have already thought about your preferences and values, have already discussed them with friends and family, and have already reduced them to writing once. (You will be using the same form, and can probably just copy a lot of the information from the old form onto the new.) And all of this means that it should be a lot quicker and easier this time around.

To get started with your new AD, you can get another copy of the short form AD from us, or you can print one out from the Forms section of the VEN website (www.vtethicsnetwork.org). You will then complete the form again, copying the parts you wish to remain the same, and revising the sections you want to change. And of course you will want to discuss those changes with your agents and other loved ones. (It wouldn’t hurt to review the unchanged portions with them, too!) You will sign your newly revised AD and get the signatures of two witnesses; and then send it in to the Registry with the new registration cover sheet, which you can also get from us or the VEN website.

Of course, the easiest way to get this done, by far, is to call Don at Taking Steps Brattleboro. He will set you up with your previous volunteer facilitator or another, who will help you with your update just as we did with your initial document.

So give us a call – we look forward to hearing from you.

Hope this helps, Alice

As always, please contact Don Freeman, Taking Steps Brattleboro Coordinator, 802-257-0775, ext. 101, or don.freeman@brattleborohospice.org, for information about Advance Care Planning.

Till next month, folks. Please send your questions to Alice via info@brattleborohospice.org.