|
 Do You Need a Living Will?
A Common Sense Guide to Living Wills
- What Is a Living Will
- How Is a Living Will Used
- What Should Your Living Will Mention
- When Does the Living Will Take Effect
- What Is a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
- A Living Will Is Part of an Advance Health Care Directive
- How to Prepare Your Living Will
What Is a Living Will
Do you need a Living Will? A Living Will is your opportunity to express your directives for your own medical care, should you become incapacitated. The Living Will is a clear written statement of your desire regarding continuing treatment at the end of life. It addresses the the questions of life support and aggressive medical intervention. This is a legal document, but it is voluntary, and not compulsory. In your Living Will, you instruct medical personnel about the type of medical care you want and the medical interventions you do not want if you are incapacitated, particularly your wishes about life support and other medical treatments. A Living Will is an important part of your estate planning, because 80% of all deaths occur in health care facilities. It will become effective only if you are unable to communicate your own health care wishes.
A Living Will is completely different from the conventional Last Will and Testament that you use to designate your heirs and dispose of your valuables after death. A Living Will should also not be confused with a Living Trust, which is used to avoid probate court after your death. A Living Will is effective while you are still alive.
How Is a Living Will Used
Why should you consider a Living Will? The use of life-sustaining medical technology has raised fears that our lives may be artificially prolonged against our wishes. For some people, a Living Will assures their right to die with dignity, and without the tremendous agony and expense for both patient and family. On the other hand, you may want all possible medical intervention to be continued for you. Whatever your wishes, a Living Will ensures that they are followed. Use of a Living Will is entirely voluntary.
A Living Will is also called a Health Care Declaration, a Directive to Physicians, a Health Care Directive or a Medical Directive.
What Should Your Living Will Mention
\What should your Living Will include? A general form of a Living Will can say, "If I suffer an incurable, irreversible illness, disease, or condition and my attending physician determines that my condition is terminal, I direct that life-sustaining measures that would serve only to prolong my dying be withheld or discontinued.”
In your Living Will, you explain what treatments you want or do not want. You can prohibit specific medical intervention when it will not prolong your life or make you more comfortable. Do you want to receive pain medications, even if they shorten your life. Do you want feeding tubes for food and water? Do you want blood transfusions? Do you want to be resuscitated if your heart fails? Do you want diagnostic tests, even when there is no further benefit from them? Do you want kidney dialysis when you are incapacitated? What about respirators, antibiotics and other drugs? Do you want surgery?
When Does the Living Will Take Effect
The Living Will takes effect only under extreme conditions. Specifically, your Living Will becomes effective only if and when three things happen.
- You are close to death with a terminal condition, or you are in a coma.
- You cannot communicate your own wishes with words, writing or gestures.
- Your attending physician is notified that you have a Living Will.
What Is a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
A Living Will is often combined with a another form called the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a separate legal document in which you give another person permission to make medical decisions for you, if you are unable to make these decisions yourself. With advances in medical technology, it is hard to anticipate every medical intervention that could be made in your behalf. That's why it helps to appoint an Attorney-in-fact with the power to make these decisions when you can no longer do so.
The Health Care Attorney-in-fact will see that you get the health care and only the health care you wish to receive in the event of your incapacity. Your attorney-in-fact can be any person you choose, a relative or friend. The Attorney-in-fact is not an attorney, but an ordinary person. He or she will be able to change your doctors, visit you in the hospital, review your medical records, and represent your wishes in court if necessary. For your Health Care Attorney-in-fact, choose someone who has your confidence, someone who will honor your wishes, and who lives near you. He or she should be willing to make the hard decisions in your final illness.
The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care goes by different names in different states. It is also called an Advance Health Care Directive, Designation of Health Care Surrogate, or Patient Advocate Designation, Attorney-in-fact for Health Care or Health Care Proxy.
A Living Will Is Part of an Advance Health Care Directive
An Advance Health Care Directive is the legal document that combines both the Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. It is used in many states. Advance Health Care Directives can also be called Living Wills, Advance Directives, or Advance Decisions.
How to Prepare Your Living Will
You can prepare your Living Will by yourself. Many states recognize Living Wills and provide the simple documents you can use to express your wishes. The forms are available at your senior center. Your local hospital, physician and online sites can also provide them. There are two parts to complete, or not to complete, as you wish. You can always change your mind about your Living Will, and revoke it or replace it. The same holds for your attorney-in-fact, also.
I hope life brings you much success.
I wish you a very happy day.
>> Please Return to the Top.
Return to the complete index of new blogs.
Share this page with someone, by Email, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, and your favorite social site
- How to Get Out of Credit Card Debt No matter how broke you are, there is a solution.
- Annuity Insurance Retirement Plan offers guaranteed monthly payments for life.
- Famous Doctors of Medicine eradicated disease and saved lives.
- LASIK Laser Eye Surgery. See the world without glasses or contact lenses.
- The Fastest Cars in the World. Super sports cars, exotic, fast and road-legal.
- Should I sign a prenuptial agreement When do I need a prenuptial agreement
- How to Treat Acne. The three best ways to treat acne.
- Am I Depressed? Help for Depression. Signs and symptoms, causes and cures, treatment.
- Make Money with the Best Stock Investments The ten best stocks so far this year.
- Small business Startup. Strategy and planning for your first business.
- Stock Investment with Warren Buffett. How to make money like a billionaire.
- Free Money for College. Claim your college cash.
- Free Affiliate Marketing Programs Make money online.
- Make a Legal Will with or without an attorney.
- How to Sell My House and Get the Most Money.
- ETF Exchange Traded Funds a great investment.
- How to Buy a Diamond Ring The Four Cs of Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut.
- Famous Writers and Their Work. American literature for all time.
- Start a New Small Business. Best new small business start-up ideas, planning and opportunities.
- How to Get Customers to Your Website. Free Ways to Market a Small Business
- Should I Buy Gold How to profit from the roaring gold boom.
- Free Diet Plans to Lose Weight Fast.
- Famous Baseball Players and Their Teams. Baseball stars become our heroes.
- Lose Weight with Super Foods. You need to read this.
- Get Free Ringtones. Personalize your cell phone.
- Find the Best Lawyer. Get the job done right.
- How Retirement Plans Work. Your best retirement savings strategy.
- Get Relief from Your Allergies. Allergies, their symptoms and relief.
- Free Home Foreclosure Help. You have options and legal rights.
- Home Staging Tips Sell Your House Fast. Attract more buyers and more money.
- What Do My Dreams Mean?
- Burn a Free Music CD. Burning is how you transfer data from the computer to the CD.
- Best Stock Picks of the Decade. Someone is making big money.
- Relief for Stress, Anxiety and Tension. Stress is the cause of illness and unhappiness.
- Digital Video Camera Camcorder. Buy and enjoy the best.
- Best Cell Phone Plans and Service. The best cell phone plan and service.
- Headache Cures and Relief. The causes of headaches and ways to soothe the pain.
- Do You Need a Business Corporation? Protect yourself and get a tax shelter.
- Stock Investment with Warren Buffett. How to make money like a billionaire.
- Become a Millionaire The 4-Hour Workweek.
- Make Money. Own a Franchise Business. Be your own boss and build equity.
- What is a Retirement Plan? What are 401k and Roth IRA Retirement Plans?
- Best Student Loans A Federal or Private Student Loan Pays for Your College Education
- Famous Photographers and Their Work Exploring the world in photos.
- Buy 500 Companies for $1,000. Guaranteed average returns with a low cost stock index mutual fund.
- Start Your Own New Small Business Opportunities are waiting!
- The Happiness Coach. Happiness can be learned, like tennis or handwriting.
|
|
Our Magazine
Blogs, Podcasting
