How to create your Illinois Advance Directives

Understand the process, the available documents, and critical steps to ensure your healthcare wishes are clearly communicated. We provide easy-to-understand explanations and direct links to help you complete your own advance directives.

Understanding your options in Illinois

Regardless of your current health status, one thing that may be important to know is that you have several options for communicating your healthcare wishes in Illinois.

Each type of advance directive serves a unique purpose and several of these directives contain state legislative guidelines and caveats.

In the menu listings at the top of this page are some examples of different Illinois advance directives, definitions of each directive, and some discussion about guidelines, restrictions and caveats of each directive.

In the next section on this page you will find a brief definition of each Illinois advance directive along with hyperlinks allow the free download of each of the Illinois advance directives discussed on this website.

Who should create an Advance Directive?

Adults in the state of Illinois should consider establishing a set of advance directives in order to ensure their medical wishes are honored.

Although many people may consider advance directives as something primarily for the elderly, terminally ill, or those with chronic illness, these directives can be your voice in the event you suffer from a serious or life-threatening medical event.

It is highly suggested to anyone reading this content, to at least look over the definitions of each Illinois advance directive. If after doing so you would like to take action and secure your own advance directives, the list of advance directives below contains a link to guide you to official Illinois advance directive forms that are free to download. 

  • Living Will: This is a document stating your wishes regarding medical treatment in the event you are incapacitated or if you are unresponsive and at the end of life.
  • Healthcare Power of Attorney: Designates an individual to act as your agent (Proxy) to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so for yourself.
  • Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)/Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST): Medical orders indicating your preference of whether or not to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation or other life-sustaining treatments.                           

                                                                     (Advance Directives, 2026)

Some Direction in taking steps to create your own Advance Directive

Creating your advance directive is a straightforward process if you understand what each directive is and are aware of the guidelines, caveats and exceptions explained on this educational website.

Consider the following steps to ensure your healthcare wishes are documented accurately and effectively:

  1. Understand each advance directive: Learn about the purpose of an Illinois advance directive. Consider why it is important to pro-actively communicate your personal healthcare decisions.

  2. Draft your documents: Become familiar with the different rules and guidelines needed to correctly draft your own advance healthcare directives. Utilize the hyperlinks provided to access official Illinois forms. Review the information provided on each topic selection at the top of this page. Doing so provides you with a important first step to consider, decide upon and document your own Illinois Advance Directives.

  3. Discuss your wishes: Have an open conversation with your spouse, family, loved ones, physician, and healthcare providers about what is important to you and be candid about your personal advance directive healthcare decisions.

  4. Share your documents: After reviewing and discussing your advance directive care wishes, it is important to provide a copy to your physician, healthcare providers, your spouse, family, and loved ones.

  5. Electronic Copy of Advance Directives: Be aware that an electronic version of Illinois Advance Directives may be honored by certain healthcare providers within the state of Illinois. 

  6. Review and Update Your Directives: Consider reviewing and updating your advance directive healthcare documents to ensure they reflect your current wishes.               

  7. Keep Advance Directives Easily Accessible: Some individuals may keep an electronic copy of advance directives on their phone or tablet. Some keep a physical copy in an envelope on the refrigerator. If you suffer from a chronic illness or debilitated health condition it may benefit you to ensure your advance directives can be easily retrieved.                                                                                                                           (Advance Directives, 2026)

Avoiding common mistakes

When creating your advance directive, it is crucial to be aware of common pitfalls. Here are some key points to remember:

  • Agent limitations: Some Illinois advance directives may have guidelines that specify who is allowed per Illinois State Law to act as your Power of Attorney for Healthcare. These guidelines may also point out who is not legally a viable candidate to assume the role as POA-HC, and an explanation of why some individuals are not valid candidates.

  • State to State Validity: It is important to understand that Illinois Advance Directives may not be honored in other states. If you travel or reside in other states, consider investigating the Department of Health and Public Services of the state you travel to.

  • Witness requirements: In Illinois there are some limitations on who may serve as a witness to certain advance directives. Eligibility and possible exclusion criteria are dictated by Illinois statutory laws. Become familiar with the requirements for a witness you decide upon before filling out the Illinois advance directive.                                                                                                                                                                     (Advance Directives, 2026)