A living will is a legal document that tells others what your personal choices are about end-of-life medical treatment. Without a living will, your family members must make important end-of-life decisions on your behalf should you suddenly fall ill or have an accident that renders you incapable of making decisions for yourself.
Regardless of age, it is a good idea to have a living will in place due to the unpredictable nature of life. This way, you can choose which procedures or medications you wish to have or abstain from to extend your life if you cannot communicate with your physicians.
What issues are addressed in a living will?
Your living will should address whether you want the medical team to perform life-saving measures if you are incapable of making the decisions yourself. These include:
- Performing CPR/Cardiac resuscitation
- Putting you on a ventilator to breathe
- Feeding you through a tube or an IV
- Pain management or palliative care preferences
If you have any specific health issues, you should make your wishes clear. For example, if you have COPD, do you want breathing treatments to be administered? You should also address whether or not you wish to donate your organs if you pass away.
Choosing a healthcare proxy
When you create your living will, you must designate a healthcare proxy. This person may be your spouse, your parent or sibling, your child or your friend. In other words, this should be someone whom you trust to ensure your wishes are carried out, make any decisions you didn’t address beforehand and provide specific instructions regarding treatments.
Seek assistance with drafting a legally binding, thorough and clear living will. This will prevent any potential future issues that may arise when you are unable to provide or refuse permission for medical procedures that will have a substantial impact on your life.