Ed and Sherry Freund of Sharon wrote their wills and living wills and established durable power of attorney about seven years ago.

So when Mrs. Freund was diagnosed with colangiocarcinoma, cancer of the colon and bowel area, in December 2000, they were prepared.

Mrs. Freund passed away peacefully in her home last week.

Writing an advanced directive is one way a terminally ill patient can ease some of the burden on family members when death is approaching.

"I always ask people if they have advance directives, a living will or a durable power of attorney," said Linda Logue, coordinator of Sharon Regional Health System's hospice program. ""Advance directives are extremely helpful in guiding families. Sometimes it can be a little tough."

An advance directive is an oral or written statement that a person makes, while in possession of decision-making capacity, about how medical treatment decisions should be made at some future time if the person loses the capacity to make or communicate decisions about care, according to literature from Sharon Regional's hospice program.

An advance directive is not required by law and does not have to be signed by an attorney. There are two kinds of advance directives: a living will, which can be written at any point in your life, and a durable power of attorney, in which a person is designated to speak for you if you become incompetent.

An advance directive addresses issues of do-not-resuscitate orders, legal guardians, feeding tubes and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, among other important end-of-life decisions.

Ms. Logue said the hospice social workers carry advance directive forms with them for hospice patients to fill out.

Advance directives should not only be discussed with family members but also with physicians. Dr. George Garrow, medical director of medical oncology at Sharon Regional's Cancer Care Center, said he tries to question a patient about advance directives early in the relationship.

"It's better to do it then and not in a crisis situation. You know what a patient's wishes are ... you ask them, 'Have you ever experienced any desires, have you completed a living will ...?" Garrow said. "In the hospital, if they just let me know what their desires and wishes are ... it doesn't have to be a complicated legal issue."