Final answer:
A living will and a durable power of attorney for health care are documents that enable a person to outline their medical treatment preferences in case they are unable to communicate due to severe illness or injury. These documents ensure that an individual's healthcare decisions are respected when they can't make those decisions themselves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The document that allows people to state what medical treatments they want or do not want to prolong their life in the event that they are unable to make decisions or communicate due to severe illness or injury includes both a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. A living will is a legal document that details specific medical interventions a person wishes to receive or avoid. This can include instructions like a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order, which tells medical personnel not to perform life-saving measures if the person's breathing or heart stops.Additionally, a durable power of attorney for health care is a type of health care proxy that appoints someone to make medical decisions on the patient's behalf if they are unable to speak for themselves. This allows appointed individuals to make decisions that align with the incapacitated person's wishes, ensuring their medical and end-of-life preferences are respected.