Have you made a living will? A living will tells your healthcare providers and your family what type of care you prefer if you have a terminal condition, explains Yahoo Finance’s recent article entitled “How to Make a Living Will.” These instructions may address topics, such as resuscitation, life support and pain management. If you don’t want to be on life support in a vegetative state, you can state that in your living will.
A living will can be part of a proactive advance directive plan that also includes a power of attorney for health care. This lets your chosen healthcare proxy make medical decisions on your behalf, when you’re unable. A living will gives written directions to your physician, your family, and your Agent under a power of attorney for health care.
Ask an experienced estate planning attorney or elder care lawyer about the technical aspects of how to make a living will. You should consider what to include. Every state is different, so your attorney will help you with the specifics. However, you’ll generally need to leave instructions on the following:
- Life-prolonging care, like blood transfusions, resuscitation, or use of a respirator;
- Intravenous feeding if you are incapacitated and cannot feed yourself; and
- Palliative care can be used to manage pain, if you decide to stop other treatments.
Ask your attorney to help you draft a living will along with a healthcare power of attorney, so all of the bases are covered as far as healthcare decision-making. When choosing a healthcare proxy, select a person on whom you can rely, to execute your wishes.
A living will can be an important component of an estate plan and preparing your family for your death.
Reference: Yahoo Finance (Feb. 18, 2021) “How to Make a Living Will”
