A living will is one kind of advance directive.

That short distinction matters because the two terms are often used as if they mean the same thing. An advance directive is the broader category: a written document, or set of documents, stating a person's health-care wishes for a time when that person cannot communicate. A living will is the narrower piece within that category. It usually states what medical treatment a person does or does not want in end-of-life situations, such as life support, tube feeding, or resuscitation. An advance directive may also include naming a health-care proxy or agent through a durable power of attorney for health care, allowing someone trusted to make decisions when conditions are unclear or changing.

Practically, the difference affects who speaks, what choices are already written down, and how quickly care decisions can be made during a crisis. After a serious wreck or workplace injury, especially when roads or access are disrupted by events like flash flooding, having both clear treatment instructions and a named decision-maker can reduce conflict among relatives and providers.

In Mississippi, the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act governs these documents, codified at Miss. Code Ann. §§ 41-41-201 through 41-41-229. For an injury claim, these records can affect proof of medical decision-making, the scope of treatment, and later disputes over damages, capacity, or wrongful death-related issues.