Advance Care Planning Group Visits
Eastern Colorado VA Health Care System helps Veterans plan for long term care and to start the process of thinking about and communicating your healthcare wishes. Join us for a supportive group discussion about Advance Care Planning and to understand more about Advance Directives. Veterans and Caregivers share that these discussions in group setting increase comfort and knowledge of this important tool. Groups are offered in-person, virtually, and on a walk-in basis. Please contact 720-723-3600 to schedule a group appointment.
Advance Directives
An Advance Directive is a powerful document that empowers you to take charge of your health by:
- Appointing a Health Care Agent, a person who can make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself for you if you are unable to make them for yourself.
- Create a medical Living Will that states you preferences about what medical treatments you would or would not want if you become very sick or injured and cannot make treatment decisions for yourself.
When to use a VA Advance Directive
Use VA Form 10-0137 to give specific people permission to make health care decisions for you and to let health care providers know your wishes for medical mental health, long-term care, and other types of care.
Make the form valid
- Two adults (18 or older) must witness your signature; they must sign the form on the same date you sign. Witnesses cannot be your health care agent, a beneficiary of your estate, or someone financially responsible for your care (Page 5).
- Write your name and date of birth at the top of pages 2 through 6.
- In Colorado, you do not need a notary (Page 6).
How to share your Advance Directive with VA
Keep the original copy, give a copy to your medical power of attorney, and give a copy to VA:
- Bring it to your next appointment. Your care team can add it to your VA record.
- Attach it to a Secure Message to your Primary Care Provider through My HealtheVet.
Review and Update Your Advance Directive
Advance Directives should be reviewed every year to make sure they still reflect your current wishes and preferences. If you want to make changes, you can complete a new form on your own or with help from your Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). Be sure to provide the updated form to the VA.
Wills and Financial Planning
A will is a legal document that explains what to do with your property after you pass away.
For help, attend one of these legal clinics:
VA Community Resource & Referral Center
3836 York St., Denver, CO
2nd Tuesday of each month 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic
3141 Centennial Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO
4th Tuesday of each month 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
You Can Also Contact:
FinVet: Free Wills and Trusts
news.va.gov/111089/13-places-free-wills-trusts-veterans/
Veterans Benefits Administration T:
Burial Benefits
https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/
Connect with a social worker
Veterans may access Primary Care Social Work Services by appointment, call