Final answer:
Advanced directives can guide care when a client is still competent. They serve as a guide for future care if the person becomes incapacitated or unable to communicate their wishes.
Step-by-step explanation:
An advanced directive is a written legal document that details specific interventions a person wants in case they become incapacitated or are unable to express themselves. This document can include a living will, which outlines the person's medical preferences, such as not wanting life-extending treatments in the last stages of a terminal illness. Advanced directives can also include a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order, stating that medical personnel should not take steps to revive the patient if their heart stops beating or they stop breathing. These documents can also appoint a health care proxy to make medical decisions on behalf of the person if they are unable to do so.
When a person is still competent and able to make their own decisions, the advanced directive may not be invoked. However, it serves as a guide for future care if the person becomes incompetent or unable to communicate their wishes.