Is a living will right for me?
A living will is a document that every adult can benefit from. It provides a detailed plan for when you living will be able to make decisions about how you will care for yourself.
It can help emergency personnel find you suitable housing, care for you during hospitalization, give you access to health care while you’re incapacitated or undergoing treatment, provide money for your funeral expenses if you die before completing a certain period of time, etc.
This document may be created by a medical professional or health care provider who is treating you for a terminal illness. In some states, your family may not be able to read or understand your living will if it was created by a healthcare professional.
A living Will may also be created by a family member or close friend who wants to give instructions on how you should be cared for when you are unable to give your own care.
What Is a Living Will?
Living wills are one of the last steps you should take before you die. It is an important step for your loved ones if you have dementia or another terminal illness. If you’re not familiar with the living will procedures, here is a basic overview.
You can learn about more complex issues in more detail at hospitals and nursing homes. It is important to take steps toward today so you can make the best decisions possible regarding the care you receive in the future.
How to Create a Living Will?
A living will is different from a normal will because it describes what happens if you cannot care for yourself properly. For example, if your kidney fails and you need a new one but don’t have money for the expensive surgery, your living will can help determine whether your son or daughter will get the new kidney.
If you cannot walk or talk properly because of a chronic condition, your living will can help decide whether you will be placed in a nursing home or home with medical supplies and options for living.
This document is also commonly used as the basis for creating a durable power of attorney which ends any potential ambiguity or doubt about who should decide on your behalf during your lifetime.
Provisions of a Living Will:
When you are preparing to die, you may want to make sure your loved ones have access to your medical information should something happen to you while you are unconscious or while you are travelling to a better place.
Here are some ways you can do this. Create a living will (do not assume an advance directive – it is separate and some states consider it a separate will). Make a health care power of attorney for the person who will be making medical decisions on your behalf in the event that you become unable to do so yourself.
It can be painful and lonely if you feel you have no control over what happens to your body when you’re sick or old. Making these decisions does not have to be stressful or painful.