Advance Directives

What are Advance Directives?

A living will, health care proxy, and durable power of attorney are the legal documents that allow you to give direction to medical personnel, family, and friends concerning your future care when you cannot speak for yourself. You do not need a lawyer in order to complete advance directives. 

You have the right to make decisions about your own medical treatment. These decisions become more difficult if, due to illness or a change in mental condition, you are unable to tell your doctor and loved ones what kind of healthcare treatments you want. That is why it is important for you to make your wishes known in advance. Here is a brief description of each kind of directive:

Living Will

A set of instructions documenting your wishes about life-sustaining medical care. It is used if you become terminally ill, incapacitated, or unable to communicate or make decisions. A living will protect your rights to accept or refuse medical care and removes the burden of making decisions from your family, friends, and medical professionals.

Healthcare Proxy

A person (agent) you appoint to make your medical decisions if you are unable to do so. Choose someone you know well and trust to represent your preferences. Be sure to discuss this with the person before naming him or her as your agent. Remember that an agent may have to use his or her judgment in the event of a medical decision for which your wishes are not known.

Durable Power of Attorney

For healthcare: A legal document whose name is your health care proxy. Once written, it should be signed, dated, witnessed, notarized, copied, and put into your medical record.

For finances: You also may want to appoint someone to manage your financial affairs when you cannot. A durable power of attorney for finances is a separate legal document from the durable power of attorney for healthcare. You may choose the same person for both, or choose different people to represent you.

Tekisha Jones

Tekisha Jones, a proud native of Appling County, is a devoted wife to Jakharis Jones and the loving mother of three children: Takhara, Aleah, and Khamil. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner from Walden University, where she developed a strong commitment to advancing healthcare in her community.
 
Currently, Tekisha serves with East Georgia Healthcare, where she provides compassionate, patient-centered care to individuals and families.

Madeline Rentz-Tucker

Madeline Rentz-Tucker, a native of Baxley, holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia and a Juris Doctor from Mercer University. She has practiced law in various settings and now works with a long-standing local law firm. Madeline and her husband, Matthew Tucker, a native of Ocilla, enjoy life in Baxley with their two dogs.

Cam Mayers

Cam Mayers is a native of Appling County and a graduate of Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business. He has worked for various industries here in Southeast Georgia and is currently a lender with Pineland Bank. He is actively involved in the community, serving on the Appling County Festival Committee, and is a recent graduate of the Appling Leads Leadership Program. Cam and his wife, Hannah Carter Mayer,s have two young daughters, Lillian and Bess.

Sloan Lott

Sloan Lott is a lifelong resident of Baxley. He has been employed by Bland Farms for 28 years and is currently their Director of Sales. He is married to Kendra Lott, and they have two daughters, Isabella and Amelia. He is a graduate of Georgia Southern University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Sloan currently serves on numerous industry and charitable boards. He is a member of the executive board of directors forthe  Southeast Produce Council and a member of the board for Society of St. Andrews.

Lee Lewis

Lee Lewis is the City Market Executive and Senior Vice-President for Pineland Bank in Baxley. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia from the Terry College of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. Lee is actively involved in his community, serving as Chairman of the Coastal Pines Technical College Board, Secretary of the Appling County Hospital Authority, Executive Board Member for the Coastal Georgia Council BSA, and Treasurer of the Appling County Tourism Board. In 2023, he was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Hospital Association. Lee is married to Melody Lewis, and they have one son, Hudson.

Jaymal R. Patel, MD

Geriatric Psychiatry / Hospitalist

163 E. Tollison Street
Baxley, GA 31513
(912) 367-9841

Primary Focus

Senior Care Unit (Behavioral Health)

Education & Training

Board Certified: General Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Board Certified: Geriatric Psychiatry, American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry,
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Medical School: Baroda Medical College and affiliated hospitals, Baroda, India
Internship: Baroda Medical College and affiliated hospitals, Baroda, India
Residency in Psychiatry: Medical College of Georgia and University of Pennsylvania
Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania,Geriatric Psychiatry Program

Melanie Young, APRN, FNP-C

Pediatrics

105 E. Tollison Street Suite D
Baxley, GA 31513
(912) 366-9688

Education & Training

Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner: Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA

Affiliations/Certifications

-Family Nurse Practitioner
-Registered Nurse, Georgia
-Basic Cardiac Life Support
-Advanced Cardiac Life Support
-Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support
-ONS Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Course
-American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
-Sigma Theta Tau International

Orlando V. Fernando, MD

Internal Medicine

105 E. Tollison Street Suite B
Baxley, GA 31513
(912) 367-0102

Education & Training

Medical School: University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
Residency: Memorial University/Mercer University Hospital, Savannah, GA
Internship: Memorial University/Mercer University Hospital, Savannah, GA

Affiliations

-Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine
-Certified, Medical Review Officer, Southern Nuclear Company
-Member, American College of Physicians
-Recognition with Commendation, American Medical Association

Matt Hodges, FNP-BC

Family Medicine

105 E. Tollison Street Suite B
Baxley, GA 31513
(912) 367-0102

Matt is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who treats patients two years and older. He is a certified BioTE® medical provider for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, including BioTE® hormone pellet therapy.

Key Services
-Chronic Disease Management
-Health Maintenance Screenings
-Acute Care
-Physical Exams
-Disease Prevention
-BioTE® Hormone Replacement Therapy
Botox® injections
-BMI-based weight management program ($45, bi-monthly)

 

Education & Training

Master of Science in Nursing: South University, Savannah, GA (Family Nurse Practitioner)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

Certifications/Memberships

-Family Nurse Practitioner
-Registered Nurse, Georgia
-Advanced Cardiac Life Support
-Basic Life Support (BLS)
-Chemotherapy & Biotherapy Provider
-Oncology Nursing Society
-Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing

Josefina Abendan-Dubberly, MD

Pediatrics

105 E. Tollison Street Suite D
Baxley, GA 31513
(912) 366-9688

Key Services

-Primary Care
-Well Checks
-Acute Care
-Physical Exams
-Disease Preventions
-Patient Education

Education & Training

Medical School: University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
Residency: Brookdale University Hospital, Brooklyn, New York

Affiliation

-American Board of Pediatrics