Living Wills Are An Important Part Of Life
A living will is a legally binding document that helps your family, friends, or caretakers make important decisions for you before you become incapacitated.
If you're the age and health to have children, then it's not an exaggeration to say that one of the most important things you can do is plan ahead with a living will.
Living wills are designed to help patients answer questions about their medical care when they can't speak for themselves. For some people, this provides peace of mind knowing that they’ve planned ahead so that others don't have to make these difficult decisions for them in times of need.
A living will helps ensure that you receive the treatment you want if you are unable to speak for yourself. It also lets your family know what steps they should take to stop unwanted medical treatment once your living will has been signed.
In addition to a living will, most states require a medically designated power of attorney. This is an individual who is able and willing to make medical decisions on your behalf. When planning for someone else with a medically designated power of attorney, it's important to designate someone with similar beliefs and values as yourself, since this person will be legally responsible for making decisions in accordance with the living will that you have signed.
A living will can also be used to appoint someone as your health care power of attorney if you have children or a disability that prevents you from filling this role yourself.
So how do you draft a living will?
The basics of a living will are simple. The most important thing is that you clearly understand your own wishes and desires for medical care while in the event of incapacitation. You can write this down on paper, in an email, or on a website under the heading “Living Wills” – whatever works best for you.
It’s also important to remember that a living will becomes active when you are determined to be incapacitated. This determination is usually made by the attending physician, but can be contested by family members if they feel that the patient’s judgment is not impaired.
You can use a living will to state whether or not you want your medical care in the event of:
· Terminal illness (forgoing further treatment vs. continuing with life-prolonging treatment)
· Permanently unconscious / Persistent vegetative state (do not resuscitate vs. do resuscitate)
You should also state whether you want artificial nutrition and hydration in the event of a terminal illnesses. Furthermore, you can also state your preferences for organ donation (if you are able to donate organs) and for end-of-life pain management.
As a patient with a living will, you can also appoint an alternate medical decision maker in the event that the person you name is unable or unwilling to serve this role.
In addition to a living will, many states require one other vital piece of paperwork – the health care proxy. The health care proxy is a document in which you appoint someone else who has the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf if they cannot be made by yourself.
It’s important to know that living wills, health care proxies, and medical health care powers of attorney are all legally binding documents. However, you should always consult with a qualified estate planning attorney to ensure that these documents are legally sound before signing.
Finally, it’s also important to know that living wills offer no protection in the event of an emergency – for example, in the case of an accident or a sudden illness. These decisions can only be made by your doctors and have no legal bearing on what decisions they make on your behalf.
Individual state laws may vary somewhat when it comes to living wills and medical power of attorney. If you're looking for advice about living wills and health care proxies, please contact a qualified estate planning attorney to make sure you understand the legal requirements in your home state.
Reference: Living Wills Are An Important Part Of Life | Best Lawyers | http://bestlawyers.com/blog/article/living-wills-are-an-important-part-of-life/9677122720630366312/?p=1 (Accessed: November 27, 2017)
Title: Living Wills Are An Important Part Of Life
Washington D.C.
A living will is a legally binding document that helps your family, friends, or caretakers make important decisions for you before you become incapacitated.
If you're the age and health to have children, then it's not an overstatement to say that one of the most important things you can do is plan ahead with a living will.
Living wills are designed to help patients answer questions about their medical care when they can't speak for themselves. For some people, this provides peace of mind knowing that they have planned ahead so that others don't have to make these difficult decisions for them in times of need.
A living will helps ensure that you receive the treatment you want if you are unable to speak for yourself. It also lets your family know what steps they should take to stop unwanted medical treatment once your living will has been signed.
In addition to a living will, most states require a medically designated power of attorney. This is an individual who is able and willing to make medical decisions on your behalf. When planning for someone else with a medically designated power of attorney, it's important to designate someone with similar beliefs and values as yourself, since this person will be legally responsible for making decisions in accordance with the living will that you have signed.
A living will can also be used to appoint someone as your health care power of attorney if you have children or a disability that prevents you from filling this role yourself.
So how do you draft a living will?
The basics of a living will are simple. The most important thing is that you clearly understand your own wishes and desires for medical care while in the event of incapacitation. You can write this down on paper, in an email, or on a website under the heading “Living Wills” – whatever works best for you.
It’s also important to remember that a living will becomes active when you are determined to be incapacitated.
Conclusion
A living will becomes active when you are determined to be incapacitated. This determination is usually made by the attending physician, but can be contested by family members if they feel that the patient’s judgment is not impaired.
You can use a living will to state whether or not you want your medical care in the event of:
· Terminal illness (forgoing further treatment vs. continuing with life-prolonging treatment)
· Permanently unconscious / Persistent vegetative state (do not resuscitate vs. do resuscitate)
You should also state whether you want artificial nutrition and hydration in the event of a terminal illnesses.