Advance directives have several major purposes. The first and perhaps most important is that they are a mechanism indicate the type of healthcare they would desire should they lack decision-making capacity at some time in the future when a medical decision needs to be made. Directives provide guidelines to healthcare providers and family about the kind of medical care the person would like to receive in advance of the need for that care. Advance directives generally are discussed in the context of the right to for go life-sustaining treatment. However, they also may be used to direct the administration of specific treatments as they were in the case of Harriet Billings. Advance directives pertain to decision making about any adult as long as he or she possesses the requisite decision-making capacity.