Additional Considerations Regarding Living Wills
As you craft your living will, you want to make sure to include enough details to ensure a minimal level of misunderstanding for your caregivers. Developing a sufficient plan involves a thorough evaluation process and pristine communication. To help during this planning period, we've included additional living will considerations below.
Get Specific
Family, friends, doctors, and nurses will all have their own individual opinions regarding what treatment or quality of life is acceptable to endure. It's important for a living will to explain your desires as specifically as possible to avoid any conflicts. For each situation you are considering, make sure your specifications include the following:
- Treatment Type. Statements such as "life-prolonging" are open to interpretation. If you object to the use of feeding tubes, respirators, or artificial organs, list them as specifically as possible.
- Severity. Only you can define what you consider to be "extreme" treatment. Try and define the specific treatments you would like to accept for specific scenarios. For example, would you accept oxygen when recovering from an accident, but not as a form of permanent life support? These are the details you should outline in your living will.
- Reversibility. In most circumstances, doctors will continue to administer treatment as long as your body is still functioning, even if there is no foreseeable chance of recovery. How long should your doctors and loved ones continue to treat you if you don't show signs of improvement? You have the power to set that time limit.
- Do Not Resuscitate (DNR). If your breathing or heartbeat should stop for any reason while under medical care, doctors will immediately attempt to revive you using CPR. As with any other treatment, you have the right to refuse CPR. If you choose to include a DNR order in your living will, talk to your doctor about any specific state guidelines that you may need to satisfy.
Choose a Health Care Proxy
Within your living will, you have the option of choosing a representative to execute your final wishes. This representative is your health care proxy. He or she can exist only as an agent of your living will, or you may grant him or her permission to consider the situation and make judgment calls in your stead.
A health care proxy is your advocate for when you are unable to speak for yourself. For this reason, choose someone you trust who will keep your best interests in mind.
Consult Your Advisors
Finally, present your living will to your doctor and attorney. Your doctor will be able to review the document and advise you of any concerns with your requests. He or she can also make suggestions regarding any additional circumstances not already included that would be valuable to consider before the living will is put on file.
A lawyer will be able to evaluate your will from a legal perspective, citing any inconsistencies or entries that might come into question if the document is ever enacted. He or she will also be able to finalize your will by providing you with any additional documents required.
