Living Will
A living will is a legal document that tells doctors and your family what medical care you want if you become too sick or hurt to speak for yourself. It explains your wishes about treatments like life support, breathing machines, or feeding tubes.
With a living will, you can make sure your loved ones know what you want, so they don’t have to guess during a stressful time. It helps doctors give you the care you choose and can give your family peace of mind knowing they are following your wishes.
Before Preparing a Living Will
When making a living will, you need to think through some important decisions to make sure your wishes are clear. Things to consider include:
- Medical Treatments: Decide which treatments you are okay with, like life support, feeding tubes, or breathing machines, and which ones you don’t want.
- End-of-Life Care: Decide whether you want doctors to do everything to keep you alive or if you would prefer to let nature take its course if there is no chance of recovery.
- Choosing a Healthcare Surrogate: Pick someone you trust to make medical decisions for you if you can’t. This person will follow the instructions in your living will.
Preparing a Living Will
Getting a living will ready is important to make sure your medical wishes are followed. Here are the steps to prepare one:
- Write Your Living Will: Create your living will by writing down your choices clearly. You can use a form or find a lawyer to help.
- Sign and Witness: Sign your living will in front of two witnesses who are not related to you or part of your medical care.
- Share Copies: Give copies of your living will to your healthcare surrogate, family members, and your doctor so they have it when needed.
Review and Update: Look over your living will from time to time and update it if your wishes or health changes.
Following these steps will help make sure your medical care matches your wishes, even when you can’t speak for yourself.