The Living Will

*Photo by brykmantra is licensed under CC 2.0. *

Living wills became a matter of great public attention when the Terri Schiavo case was in the headlines. A living will is a legal document that provides instructions for your healthcare in the event you become incapacitated and unable to make your desires known. To use the colloquial phrasing, a living will is commonly known as the document that tells your family and doctor whether you want them to “pull the plug” should you become permanently incapacitated. While the usefulness of a living will is most readily apparent in situations of permanent disability, they can also prove a valuable tool when dealing with temporary incapacitation.

The Living Will

As the Terri Schiavo case illustrated, the lack of a living will can put your family into quite a distressing situation should you become incapacitated. Your family members will be left to make difficult decisions about your healthcare, particularly if they must decide whether to remove you from life support. The situation can become particularly troubling if members of your family disagree as to the correct course of action.

This simple document can help alleviate significant stress from an already tragic and stressful situation. Through it, you can let everyone know under what circumstances you would like life-prolonging medical care administered.

Healthcare Power of Attorney

A living will is usually paired with a healthcare power of attorney, which provides someone else with the ability to make healthcare decisions on your behalf when you are unable to do so yourself. Again, in the Terri Schiavo situation, much of the drama could have been averted had Mrs. Schiavo assigned someone the authority to make her healthcare decisions.

The healthcare power of attorney and the living will can complement each well, further ensuring that your wishes are fulfilled after your death. While the Terri Schiavo case serves an extreme example, the small amount of preparation required to prevent such a situation from becoming your reality makes it worth the effort.

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See Also:

HIPAA

The Power of Attorney