Questions To Ask About Advance Directives And Living Wills

Questions To Ask About Advance Directives And Living Wills

Stop wondering about what advance directives and living wills can do for you.

Instead, seek out the answers for the very obvious questions that have been bugging you for so long now. And there's no better way to start this quest than with good old definitions.

First of All, What are Advance Directives and Living Wills?

An advance directive is a document which instructs your attending physician about the type of care/treatment you would like to receive if you ever become unable to formulate decisions for yourself. Hospital personnel will generally talk to you about this stuff.  I know this from recent personal experience.

Of course, you would certainly be approached with this kind of suggestion while you're still well and able; otherwise your eligibility of making an advance directive would be forfeited by incapacitation, mental illness or terminal disease.

An well devised advance directive will specifically describe the type of medical treatment you wish to get depending on the gravity of your medical condition.

For instance, the instructions may illustrate the kind and extent of care you want if you become diagnosed with an illness that is beyond any possibility of recovery. Additionally, this document usually informs physicians of your objection against - or approval for - a certain types of treatment.

Don't be surprised if you see advanced directives set up in various forms. The laws that regulate them are different in every state. Therefore, you need to be aware of the laws in the state you live in. However you can easily find a do-it-yourself living will software kit which can lead you through the labyrinth of various state requirements.

A living will may or may not let you appoint another person to decide on your behalf. Again, the presence of this option is normally based on state-specific laws.

Why is an advance directive important?

By making an advance directive and living will as early as possible, you are expressing you personal and specific preferences and wishes with regard to medical treatment before you are faced with a severe injury or disease. Doing so will spare your family and friends the pressure of deciding what is really best for you, and what YOU would really want them to do

Usually, the legal age qualified to make these documents is 18 years old.

Seriously ill people are more likely to draw up these legal documents in advance. For example, a person with a terminal cancer may write his or her wish not to be hooked to a respirator in case of respiratory arrest. This act can lessen the patient's suffering, promote his or her peace of mind, and increase control over his or her death.

Then again, even if you're still in an excellent health condition, you may want to think about making your own advance directive. Who knows for sure? You may encounter a terrible accident or unexpectedly collapse on your way to work. If you have thought of these possibilities and have decided to do the right thing, then you can rest assured that your wishes will be respected and implemented by your health care provider.

How do you make them?  Are they complicated?  Will I need a lawyer?

An advance directive and living will don’t necessarily have to be a very complex legal document. They can simply be short, specific statements concerning your health care preferences in case your ability to communicate is gone.

Of course, any request put down should conform to the laws of your state.

You can write these documents in a number of ways.

First is by using a form that may be supplied by your doctor, or available from a do-it-yourself living will kit. You may also put your requests in writing all by yourself. Aside from that, you even have the option to ask for the appropriate form from the health care department of your state.

With the technology of the modern world, you may even get hold of free online living will forms. Some web sites also sell software packages for all types of legal documents.

Then again, if you want to do it the traditional way, then you can hook up with a lawyer who handles advance directives and living wills.