If you’re just approaching estate planning for the first time, talk to an estate planning lawyer about important tools like a living will. Many people want to know if a living will is the same thing as an advanced healthcare directive.
What Is a Living Will?
A living will is a form of an advanced health care directive that addresses your specific wishes around end of life care and treatment.
Although it can be hard to think about your own choices on these matters, it is very important to document them for your loved ones. It might be the only way for your loved ones to know what you wanted towards the end of your life.
If you have specific desires around what you do and you do not want to receive at the end of your life, when you are no longer able to speak for yourself, you will want to document these in a living will. Some of the most important considerations in a living will include:
- Your decision to donate organs for transplants.
- Pain management and medications you want and whether or not you wish to pass away at home.
- How long you wish to be intubated and placed on mechanical ventilator, if at all.
- Resuscitation wishes.
- Tube feeding to prolong your life.
Why You Need a Living Will
Without this document your loved ones will have to determine your treatment which puts them in a difficult position and presents further challenges if your family members are not able to come to terms of agreement on what is most appropriate for you. Having the opportunity to work directly with a knowledgeable estate planning lawyer can minimize many of these challenges and can make it that much easier for your loved ones to navigate this process with care. Schedule a free consultation with a Boston Estate Planning Attorney today.
