Test your Knowledge on Illinois Advance Directives

Explore what you know about healthcare advance directives in Illinois with our interactive survey. This tool helps assess your understanding of these crucial documents and how they can safeguard your healthcare future.

Why Take This Survey ?

A. The intent of this initial survey is to explore what you know about healthcare advance directives in the state of Illinois.

B. One goal of this survey is also to encourage further thought about why advance directives are important.

C. This survey is not a quiz and it is not meant to see if you are right or wrong. It is specifically designed to encourage you to think about each Advance Directive covered on this website.

D. Finally, the survey is to help you get past any confusion or misunderstandings you may have regarding the differences with each of the four Illinois Advance Directive introduced. 

1. Start by reading the question carefully.

2. Click the green circle  with the plus sign "+" to reveal the possible answers. (Clicking on the "+" sign opens up the possible answers to choose from. Click on the "-" button to close that section.)

3. Write down the answer you believe is the best choice for each question on a piece of paper.

4. After completing the survey, click the green rectangular button to navigate to the  "Survey Answers and Explanations" section, where you can find out the correct answers.

Question 1: What is a Living Will?

A. The Living Will is a way of ensuring your property and assets are distributed as you wish.

B. A Living Will is a physician’s order which will either allow or refuse life-sustaining measures if you are deemed terminal and unable to make decisions for yourself.

C. A Living Will is a written record that allows your healthcare decision maker, physician, and/or healthcare provider to know what medical wishes you desire.

Question 2: A Living Will requires your signature and date. What other signatures are needed for this advance directive to become valid?

A. Your physician and/or any of your healthcare providers need to sign as they will carry out your healthcare wishes.

B. You must have a lawyer and your financial power of attorney sign as this is a legal document requiring an official court filing in Illinois.

C. Any adult over the age of 18 who is NOT your physician, NOT entitled to your estate or finances and NOT responsible for providing you with medical care may sign as a witness for this advance directive.

Question 3: Why is a Living Will important ?

A. It safeguards your finances while you are incapacitated.


B. It allows others to make financial decisions about your personal property, personal assets and/or financial bills and the ability to pay if you become unable to do so.


C. It provides a written record of what you desire for healthcare choices in the event you are incapacitated and cannot convey your healthcare wishes.

Question 4: Does a Living Will directive include an option to select your Power of Attorney for Health Care (POA-HC) ?

A. Yes, the Illinois Living Will advance directive does allow you to choose who you wish to designate as your Healthcare Power of Attorney. 

B. No, the Illinois Living Will advance directive only communicates what healthcare treatments and options you wish to have followed in the event you are unable to communicate those wishes yourself.

Question 5: Which the following people are allowed to sign as a witness to your Living Will ?

A. To act as a witness for your living will you must be over the age of 18 years old, considered mentally competent and of sound mind and you may be a neighbor, friend, acquaintance or a family member (Family members are excluded if they pay your medical bills,manage or oversee your financial assets or will potentially receive any financial benefit [i.e. inheritance] from the patient).

B. Only your physician or other healthcare providers can sign as a witness for your Living Will. 

C. Any person over the age of 16 years old who is a direct relation can sign as witness for the Illinois Living Will.

Question 6: What is a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) ?

A. The DNR assigns a specifically chosen family member to make decisions about life-prolonging support in the event you are incapacitated.

B. The advance directive, known as a DNR, is a signed medical order that can instruct any/all healthcare providers not to attempt CPR, Cardioversion (Electric shock), or ventilator support if the person stops breathing and/or if the heart stops beating.

C. The DNR is a written request by an individual that allows the withdrawal of artificial means of nutrition/hydration such as tube feedings and IV hydration.

Question 7: Is the DNR and the POLST the same?

A. The DNR and the POLST are exactly the same, yet the POLST is honored in all states nationwide.

B. The DNR and the POLST are similar as both may contain a medical order that can either refuse or allow CPR, Ventilator or Cardioversion measures if your heart or breathing stops. The POLST has greater breadth and expands upon other life-prolonging interventions.

C. The POLST does not need a physician, physician assistant or advance practice nurse signature and only requires two family members to sign as witnesses.