Final answer:
A living will or advance directive are legal documents that instruct family and health care providers on the treatment preferences of an incapacitated patient and may include appointing a health care proxy for medical decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
Specific legal documents that direct relatives and care providers about the extent of treatment that may be given for patients who cannot speak for themselves are often referred to as a living will or advance directive. These written legal documents detail specific interventions a person wants or does not want, in the event that they become incapacitated or unable to communicate their wishes. Such documents can include a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order, which instructs medical personnel not to undertake resuscitation if the person's heart stops or they stop breathing. A living will may also nominate a health care proxy, a designated individual empowered to make medical decisions on behalf of the patient should they become incapable of doing so themselves. These decisions are deeply personal and are shaped by individual beliefs, cultural upbringing, and religious views.