The 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive®

The 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® is a proprietary planning tool developed by the Farr Law Firm to address critical gaps found in many traditional advance medical directives. While standard directives often focus narrowly on end-of-life decisions, the 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® is designed to guide your care before, during, and after incapacity and death, ensuring your continuity, dignity, and clarity at every stage.

This comprehensive directive is built around four essential needs that you should address — but that are frequently missing from conventional documents:

Medical Power of Attorney
Long-Term Care Directive® (proprietary to the Farr Law Firm)
Near-Death Directive® (proprietary to the Farr Law Firm)
After-Death Directive® (proprietary to the Farr Law Firm)

Together, these components create a unified framework that supports your medical decision-making, daily care preferences, end-of-life choices, and post-death instructions.

Table of Contents

Medical Power of Attorney

The Medical Power of Attorney authorizes a trusted individual — often referred to as a Medical Agent or Long-Term Care Proxy — to make informed medical decisions if you are unable to do so due to physical or mental incapacity. This authority typically becomes effective once incapacity is certified by two physicians.

This document communicates your medical wishes to long-term care providers and family members and may include instructions regarding life-prolonging treatments if you are diagnosed with a terminal condition, and recovery is no longer possible. It ensures that medical decisions are guided by your values rather than default rules or uncertainty during a crisis.

Long-Term Care Directive®

The Long-Term Care Directive® is a distinguishing feature of the 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® and reflects the Farr Law Firm’s recognition that your long-term care decisions involve far more than medical treatment alone.

Federal law requires nursing facilities to create care plans, but those plans often rely on limited baseline assessments. The Long-Term Care Directive® empowers you to define your own care plan in advance — before illness, stroke, dementia, or injury limits your communication.

This highly detailed document helps caregivers understand your:

Dietary preferences (e.g., coffee or tea, breakfast choices, food likes and dislikes)
Daily activities and interests (TV shows, movies, music, audiobooks, hobbies)
Grooming and hygiene preferences (personal care products and routines)
Sleep habits and comfort needs (pillows, bedding, sleep position, room environment)

By documenting these preferences, the Long-Term Care Directive® becomes a daily guide for caregivers, helping maintain dignity, comfort, and quality of life in nursing homes or assisted living settings. It ensures that you — not an institution — define what good care looks like.

Near-Death Directive®

The Near-Death Directive® addresses decisions surrounding artificial or extraordinary life-prolonging measures in the event of a terminal illness or injury. This component replaces what was traditionally referred to as a “living will,” expanding and clarifying guidance for modern medical realities.

It allows you to clearly state your wishes regarding interventions when death is imminent, reducing uncertainty and emotional strain for loved ones while ensuring medical providers honor your intentions.

After-Death Directive®™

The After-Death Directive®™ extends planning beyond life itself, allowing you to document your wishes regarding:

Organ donation
Disposition of remains
Funeral or memorial arrangements
Obituary preferences
Grave markers or final messages

By addressing these matters in advance, families are spared difficult decisions during times of grief, and your personal wishes are honored with clarity and respect.

Accessibility and Emergency Availability

To ensure immediate access when needed, the Farr Law Firm registers the 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® with DocuBank, an electronic archive service that allows the document to be instantly faxed to hospitals, physicians, or care facilities. This registration is provided at no additional charge, unless the client chooses otherwise.

Why Choose Farr Law Firm

Farr Law Firm offers a uniquely comprehensive and thoughtful approach to advance medical planning.

Proprietary, Comprehensive Design: The 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® addresses real-world gaps in standard directives.
Care-Focused Planning Philosophy: Emphasis on dignity, comfort, and quality of life — not just medical decisions.
Integrated Legal Strategy: The directive is coordinated with Incapacity Planning, Estate Planning, and asset protection.
Practical, Real-Life Guidance: Documents are designed to be used daily by caregivers and providers.
Experienced Elder Law Leadership: Planning reflects decades of experience with long-term care realities.

Plan for Every Stage of Care — Not Just the End

The 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive® provides clarity, comfort, and control when it matters most. Farr Law Firm offers this proprietary planning solution to help ensure your medical wishes, care preferences, and legacy are fully protected. Contact us today to create your 4 Needs Advance Medical Directive®.