Disclaimer: This article is only intended for educational purposes and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for legal advice.
It’s a legal document that includes the person’s wishes relating to their health care along with the mention of their selected decision-maker. Health is unpredictable, and many people don’t like to suffer, which is why they prepare for it beforehand.
For instance, many people believe that treating terminal illness only leads to further suffering, which is why they refuse the treatment and enjoy their last days with their loved ones in peace.
A living will is different from a normal will as the latter includes the division of the person’s assets and details of the guardianship of their minor kids, and a living will include the healthcare preferences of the individual.
It gets easier for healthcare professionals to treat the person according to their preferences if they have a living will in place. You might get a disease where you’re unable to communicate your wishes to them. Hence, a living will let your doctors know about your preferred medications, treatment, and other related information.
So, what can you do to prepare a living will? Here are some tips that will help you.
Prepare a List of Preferred Treatment Options
There is a huge list of medical decisions that you can make when you’re writing your living will. The first question that you must ask yourself is, ‘what do you want to include in your living will?’
The questions can be about life-sustaining treatments, end-of-life wishes, and life support. For instance, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are the three most common options for cancer treatment. If you get a disease, which can be cured with surgery or chemotherapy, you can include these options in your living will.
However, if your illness reaches a point when you require life support, you can give your permission or not give your permission to put you on life support. Apart from it, if you’re to certainly pass due to your illness, then you can also put your end-of-life wishes in the living will, such as donating an organ or performing a specific religious ritual.
You can discuss it with your loved ones while preparing your living will, so there’s no pressure on you to make such important decisions.
Make a Medical Power of Attorney
A medical power of attorney includes the person’s name who acts as your proxy and makes decisions on your behalf. If you are unconscious or unable to decide because of your health, the medical team will contact your proxy to decide.
The person you rely on must be trustworthy and should know what you would want in that situation. Make sure to include them in the whole process so that they can make a sound decision in your absence.
Make a Will Specific to the State
It’s important to get all the guidelines of preparing your will according to the state’s requirements; otherwise, it won’t be of any use.
A lot of states provide a living will form to be filled out, while other states allow you to get it done on the online living will template to save time and effort. Many different companies offer such templates, which can be filled online for a small fee.
If you’re doing it for the first time, the best thing is to keep a lawyer in the loop. They can save you from making an error in the living will, which can directly impact your medical treatments in the future.
Finalize Your Living Will by Notarizing It
In case you’re filling out an online living will form, then make sure to get it printed. You must have a hard copy of your will, which should be signed and notarized as well. There is a requirement of two witnesses in several states and a notary’s seal in several states.
Keep Your Living Will Safe & Update It As You Like
Once you have prepared your will, store it safely for future use. You must also give your agent a copy of your living will, so the hospital and doctors can review it. With age, you might want to upgrade your choices in the will, so make sure to do it in time before it’s too late.
Do You Need a Lawyer for a Living Will?
Yes, a lawyer is of great help when you’re preparing your living will for the first time. A lawyer is aware of the state laws and all guidelines as well. They can fill the forms for you and get them notarized, so you don’t have to go through the hefty procedure.
A living will create peace of mind for the person and outlines all important information that people are often unable to share with their loved ones. By creating a living will, you let your family know about your preferences and wishes, which enables them to make quick decisions as well.
A lawyer speeds up the process, especially if you don’t know how to get your living will notarized or arrange witnesses for it. Nanda & Associate Lawyers is one of the great names in the industry that won’t disappoint you.
Get your living will be prepared by a professional and stored in a safe place for future reference. It will ease all your medical decisions and will ensure that your preferences are respected even when you’re unable to make them at that moment.
Nanda & Associate Lawyers is one of the three best immigration law firms in Mississauga. They have years of experience and have helped plenty of clients write their living will. As your lawyer, they will take care of sensitive matters in your living will. You can call them to fix your appointment and discuss your case with the
