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If you became ill or injured and were unable to speak for yourself, would your loved ones know what kind of medical treatment you want? Would your family members and doctors be legally bound to carry out your wishes?

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If you've decided it's time to prepare documents directing your health care, congratulations. It may be challenging to think about the kinds of medical treatment you do or do not want at the end of life, but your completed forms are almost guaranteed to bring peace of mind to you and your loved ones.

To get started, you'll need the right forms to fill out. In New Jersey, that means obtaining forms for a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. In New Jersey, these two documents are often known as an Instruction Directive and a Proxy Directive. They may sometimes be combined into a single form known as an Advance Directive. more.

Both federal and state law give you the power to direct your own medical care. This means that you can say whether you want life-support measures -- such as a respirator or feeding tubes -- at the end of your life.

In truth, you could use a pen and the back of a napkin to scribble a wish that you not be placed on life support and, if those wishes were "clear and convincing," the law would honor them. But have no doubt: The best place to write out your health care wishes is in a living will. By clearly expressing your wishes in a document approved by your state, you can remove confusion and potential conflict from a stressful situation. more.

Some states have established databases, usually called registries, where you can file your Living Will or Advance Directive. (If your state has a registry, you'll find a link to it at the end of this article.) Other states recommend a privately owned, national registry called the U.S. Living Will Registry. These systems provide central locations that medical professionals can consult to determine whether patients have made documents directing their health care.

Using a registry can increase the likelihood that your critical health care wishes will be found and followed when needed -- but there are other steps you should take to make your health care wishes known.

After you've made a document directing your health care, the first thing to do is talk with the person you ve named as your health care representative, often called your agent. more.

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A health care agent is the person you name to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to speak for yourself. Some states use a different name for a health care agent, such as proxy, representative, or attorney in fact. New Jersey uses the term health care representative. You will name this person when you make your Proxy Directive.