Connecticut Advance Directive: Living Will, Health Care Rep, and How to Complete the Combined Form

Connecticut simplifies advance care planning by publishing a single combined form that bundles three separate legal instruments into one document: a living will, a health care representative appointment, and a preferred conservator designation. The Connecticut Attorney General's office maintains the official version, and it's free to download and complete.

The combined form solves a problem that catches many families off guard in other states — having a living will but no named decision-maker, or appointing a health care representative without documenting treatment preferences. In Connecticut, the combined form covers all three scenarios in one signing session.

What Each Section of the Combined Form Does

Living Will (Advance Health Care Instructions): This section documents your parent's specific wishes about life-sustaining treatment. It covers two defined medical scenarios: terminal illness (where death is expected regardless of treatment) and permanent unconsciousness (where the attending physician determines there is no reasonable possibility of recovery). Your parent can specify preferences about mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, antibiotics, and other interventions.

Health Care Representative Appointment: This names the person authorized to make medical decisions when your parent can no longer make them. The representative's authority activates only when the attending physician determines in writing that the patient cannot understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of healthcare decisions. Until that clinical determination, the appointment is dormant.

Preferred Conservator Designation: If the probate court ever needs to appoint a conservator for your parent, this section tells the court who your parent wants in that role. The court considers this designation when deciding whom to appoint, but it is not legally bound by it.

Execution Requirements

Connecticut requires two adult witnesses for the combined advance directive. The witnesses sign the document affirming that:

• The principal appeared to be of sound mind
• The principal signed voluntarily
• Neither witness is the person appointed as health care representative

A notary is not legally required for the advance directive itself, though adding notary acknowledgment is recommended. If the document is ever challenged in probate court, a notary seal provides an additional layer of authentication that can prevent costly disputes.

One requirement families often miss: the two witnesses cannot include the person being named as health care representative. If your parent is appointing you as their representative, you cannot also serve as a witness. Arrange for two other adults — a neighbor, a family friend, a coworker — to be present at the signing.

The Difference Between a Living Will and a MOLST

Families sometimes confuse the living will portion of the advance directive with a MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment). They serve different purposes:

A living will is a legal document expressing the patient's own wishes. It's created by the patient and interpreted by healthcare providers when relevant situations arise.

A MOLST is a medical order signed by a physician, APRN, or PA. It's printed on official green paper and travels with the patient as actionable orders for emergency responders and healthcare facilities. A MOLST governs immediate interventions — CPR, intubation, IV fluids — while a living will addresses broader treatment philosophy.

For comprehensive protection, your parent should have both: the advance directive (which includes the living will and health care representative appointment) and a MOLST completed with their physician.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Filling out only part of the form. The combined form has multiple sections, and each is independent. Skipping the health care representative appointment section means no one has documented authority to make medical decisions. Skipping the living will section means the representative has authority but no guidance about the patient's actual preferences.

Using an outdated form. Connecticut periodically updates the official combined form. The current version from the Attorney General's office reflects current statutory requirements under CGS § 19a-575a. Forms downloaded from national legal websites may use outdated language or miss Connecticut-specific provisions.

Not distributing copies. File copies with your parent's primary care physician, any specialist they see regularly, and the hospital they'd most likely be taken to in an emergency. If your parent enters a nursing facility or assisted living, provide a copy during admission.

The Connecticut Power of Attorney & Guardianship Kit pairs the advance directive with the financial POA, HIPAA authorization, and DSS authorized representative forms — the complete set of documents a Connecticut family needs to avoid legal gaps during an eldercare crisis.

See more Connecticut guides →