How to Execute a Living Will
A living will is a legal document that lets your family members, friends and physicians know that you don't want extreme measures taken to prolong your life in the event of a serious trauma, disability or chronic disease. To make sure your wishes are carried out, you need to take several personal and legal steps.
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Instructions
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Start by scheduling an appointment with your lawyer to discuss the circumstances under which you would like your living will to be carried out. Generally, these conditions involve terminal illness or permanent disability. But you need to be specific. For example, many people address terminal illness in their living wills but not permanent disabilities. Bring a close friend, spouse or family member to this appointment to reinforce your wishes and serve as a witness to the signing of the will.
You can execute a living will yourself by downloading a free document online, completing it yourself and getting it witnessed. But be thorough and tend to all of the details. -
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Set a time limit in your living will. Doctors decide if certain injuries or disabilities are permanent simply by waiting and watching the patient. Also, doctors may decide if an illness is terminal after treatments have failed for a certain length of time. It's up to you to decide how much time you want to wait in each situation, such as a brain injury, before your living will is executed. Discuss the various circumstances with your lawyer and your doctor and include them in your living will.
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Decide if you want certain types of treatments for certain illnesses or disabilities. This means that you may want your living will to be carried out in most circumstances except for a select few. Having these circumstances documented will ensure that your wishes are met once you can no longer make decisions for yourself.
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Make sure your living will has a section discussing your wishes in regard to intravenous or feeding tubes. Many doctors and hospitals will not remove such treatments because it's believed that the subsequent death would be painful. If you don't want a feeding tube when death is inevitable, state this in your living will.
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Name someone who will be your agent and make your health-care decisions for you should you become unable to do so. This person, usually a family member, will be responsible for executing your living will and making decisions based on your wishes.
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Tell your loved ones all about your living will once your lawyer and doctor help you make all the necessary decisions. Make sure they understand exactly what you want. That will reduce the chances of disputes when the time to carry out your living will arrives.
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