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Living Will (Rev. 1339E80)
Living Will (Rev. 1339E80)
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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
WHAT IS A LIVING WILL?
A Living Will is a legal document that leaves instructions
about your preferences for end-of-life care and medical
treatment. Unlike a traditional Last Will and Testament, a
Living Will takes effect when you are still alive but unable
to communicate your medical wishes if you ever become
terminally ill or unconscious.
If you have an opinion on one of these questions, you
would benefit from a Living Will.
· How long would you want to be on artificial life
support?
· Do you want to be resuscitated after suffering
from a cardiac arrest?
· Would you prefer to pass away “naturally” or
Allow Natural Death (AND)?
· Are you okay with ventilators and feeding
tubes but not intubation?
· How do you feel about patient comfort and
pain management?
COMMON SITUATIONS
You may need a Living Will if you are:
· Over the age of 18 years old
· Military personnel being deployed overseas
· Traveling abroad for an extended period of
time
· Undergoing surgery or will be entering the
hospital for any reason
· Diagnosed with a terminal medical condition
or illness
· Undergoing continuous medical treatment by
a physician or medical team
· Growing wiser and older but concerned about
your current health
· Wanting your family members know how you
want to be medically treated
· Engaged in a high risk profession (i.e.
firefighter or police)
· Creating an estate plan along with a
traditional Will and Power of Attorney
WHEN IS IT NEEDED
Living Wills are commonly used when someone wants
the peace of mind that their medical and health decisions
will be made according their final wishes.
With a Living Will, your family members and health
care providers know your preferences about:
· Organ or tissue donation
· Extended artificial life support
· The use of dialysis and breathing machines
· Resuscitation if your breathing or heartbeat
stops
· What should happen if your doctor determines
there is no recovery
· When, if ever, would you refuse medical care
WHAT IS INCLUDED
A simple living will should generally have at least the
following:
1. End-of-life preferences. If you become terminally ill
or injured, a Living Will directs your doctor to either
continue or withhold life sustaining treatment.
2. What does it mean to be terminally ill or
injured? Your doctor and another doctor decide that
you have a condition that cannot be cured and that you
will likely pass away in the near future from this
condition. Given this unfortunate circumstance, how do
you wish to be treated?
3. What does it mean to be permanently
unconscious? Your doctor and another doctor (one of
whom is qualified to make such a diagnosis) agree
within a reasonable degree of medical certainty that:
you can no longer think, no longer feel anything, no
longer knowingly move, or no longer aware of being
alive. The doctors believe that this condition will last
indefinitely without hope for improvement and have
watched you long enough to determine that you are
permanently unconscious.
4. What is life sustaining treatment? Life sustaining
treatment includes drugs, machines, or medical
procedures that would help keep you alive but not cure
you. Those who may refuse life sustaining treatment
may prioritize quality of life in the final days of being
alive.
5. Organ Donation. A Living Will allows you to specify
whether you want to donate your body, organs, and/or
tissues for transplantation or medical research. The body
is temporarily kept on life-sustaining treatment until
organs are removed for donation. Alternatively, you can
specify a scientific study at a local medical school or
university to donate your body.