If you are 18 or older and you don’t have an advance directive, or if your existing one doesn’t truly reflect your values, someone else may end up making your medical decisions for you. Not your spouse. Not your adult child. Not the person you trust most. The hospital, the emergency room team, or the legal default will decide.

That is not the worst-case scenario. That is what happens every day.

Why This Cannot Wait

Most people assume advance care planning is something you deal with when you are older or seriously ill. But accidents, strokes, and sudden medical crises don’t follow that schedule.

Here is what happens without clear, value-based directives: doctors and nurses follow default medical protocols rather than your personal wishes. Your family faces impossible decisions under extreme emotional stress, often without knowing what you would have wanted. Disagreements between family members about your care can become permanent rifts. A generic form downloaded from the internet or picked up at a hospital may not reflect current laws, and almost certainly does not capture the depth of what matters to you.

My Advance Directives resource library includes detailed articles covering everything from DNR decisions to dialysis preferences to what really happens when there is no plan in place. The evidence is clear: every adult needs a current, values-based advance directive.

What Makes This Service Different

Picking up a form and filling it out alone is not advance care planning. Real advance care planning means working through the hard questions before a crisis forces you to answer them in a hospital hallway.

I’m Peter M. Abraham, BSN, RN, a Health Navigation Specialist, patient advocate, and Advance Care Planning Specialist at Compassion Crossing, LLC. I don’t just hand you a packet of forms. I sit with you, listen to what matters most to you, and guide you through a thorough, unhurried process that produces legally sound, deeply personal directives.

This service covers:

Values and Decision-Making: A guided review of a comprehensive 16-page values worksheet that explores your core beliefs, your definition of quality of life, and the conditions under which you would or would not want life-sustaining treatment. Honest conversations about situations most people have never considered, including permanent unconsciousness, advanced dementia, terminal illness, and irreversible chronic conditions. Multiple value-based decision aids to help you think through specific medical procedures such as CPR, ventilators, feeding tubes, dialysis, antibiotics, and palliative sedation.

Legal Documents I Guide You to Complete: Medical Living Will (what you want). Healthcare surrogate / medical durable power of attorney (who speaks for you). Durable financial power of attorney (who handles your finances). POLST/MOST forms, where applicable. DNR orders, where applicable. Emergency contact documentation.

I guide you through completing these documents correctly so they will be legally valid and accepted by healthcare providers. I don’t fill them out for you because these decisions are yours alone.

What Clients Have Experienced

“I needed to update end-of-life legal documents to meet KY requirements. Thankfully, I learned Compassion Crossing coaches people through this vital yet complex process. Peter Abraham provided all the necessary state-specific information and forms; he empowered me to make end-of-life decisions based on my unique situation and strongly held values, and he stayed in contact until all legal documents were notarized… and beyond. Everyone needs coaching to make vital end-of-life decisions and prepare legally binding documents. Peter is knowledgeable, compassionate, and trustworthy. You are wise to work with Compassion Crossing. They are the best!” — Steve

“I don’t normally write reviews. Peter is the first person I have met with the necessary expertise to help people write an Advance Directive. He helped me think through a lot of issues I would never have thought of. And he provided a LOT of written materials for me to read and review. Highly recommended.“ — Ted

“Highly recommend! Peter is so thoughtful. He offers a valuable service.” — Allisson

How the Process Works

1. Free initial consultation (up to 30 minutes). You and I get acquainted, discuss your situation, and decide together if this service is the right fit. This conversation is completely free and carries no obligation.
2. First full meeting (typically 60 to 90 minutes). Payment is made at this meeting. I introduce the values worksheet, the legal forms, and the decision aids. You begin working through the materials at a pace that feels right for you.
3. Ongoing meetings as needed. Most clients complete their directives within two to four meetings. There is no hourly cap, no meeting limit, and no pressure to finish within a set timeframe.
4. 12 months of follow-up availability. After your first full meeting, I remain available for a full year to answer questions, revisit decisions, or help you update your documents as your values or circumstances change.

Meetings are held in person for those in Madison County, KY, and the seven surrounding counties (Clark, Estill, Fayette, Garrard, Jackson, Jessamine, and Rockcastle). For everyone else, sessions are available virtually via Zoom or Google Meet.

You Don’t Need a Lawyer

Valid living wills and healthcare powers of attorney do not require an attorney. I guide you through the process clearly and affordably, using your state’s legally recognized forms. You get the same protection as a legal consultation, without the cost.

Fees and Accessibility

Compassion Crossing, LLC, does not accept insurance. Services are private-pay, with a sliding-scale fee structure designed to make support accessible at every income level.

If the cost feels like a barrier, reach out anyway. That is exactly what the sliding scale is for.

The People You Love Deserve This from You

Completing your advance directives is not just about protecting yourself. It is one of the most generous things you can do for the people who love you. It spares them the guilt of guessing. It removes the burden of conflict. It gives them permission to focus on being present with you rather than trying to figure out what you would have wanted. Your first step is free and takes 30 minutes. Schedule your free initial consultation today.