Living Wills, Health Care Proxies, & Advance Health Care Directives
Introduction
With the increasing ability of medical science to sustain our lives, people are living much longer than ever before. Unfortunately, as we grow older, or if we experience health challenges, we may find ourselves in a position in which decisions need to be made as to how we wish to be treated in a variety of medical situations. This is especially true at the end of our lives, but can be true at any time as a result of the impact of an accident, injury, or illness. If we are in a condition such that we no longer can express our preferences about treatment, decisions will be made for us by others if we have not planned for our own treatment in advance. Advance health care directives allow us to deal with these situations. Without such directives, our families may find it necessary to obtain court orders to deal with our medical situations.
State laws vary concerning the appropriate documents to cover these situations. All fifty states permit you to express your wishes as to medical treatment in terminal illness or injury situations, and to appoint someone to communicate for you in the event you cannot communicate for yourself. Depending on the state, these documents are known as "living wills," "medical directives," "health care proxies," or "advance health care directives." Some states have a standardized or statutory form, while other states allow you to draft your own document. But even if you use a standard or statutory form, you should review it to be sure that it comports with your personal wishes. Never sign a document presented to you as standard unless you have read and understood it and confirmed that it does in fact reflect your desires.
Living Wills
A living will is your written expression of how you want to be treated in certain medical circumstances. Depending on state law, this document may permit you to express whether you wish to be given life-sustaining treatments in the event you are terminally ill or injured, to decide in advance whether you wish to be provided food and water via intravenous devices ("tube feeding"), and to give other medical directions that impact your care, including the end of life. "Life-sustaining treatment" means the use of available medical machinery and techniques, such as heart-lung machines, ventilators, and other medical equipment and techniques that may sustain and possibly extend your life, but which may not by themselves cure your condition. Be very careful signing any such document without reviewing the implications to you. For example, some of the commonly used clauses in living wills may forbid the provision of assisted breathing, including devices you presently may be using if, for example, you are living with COPD. Most important, many of the provisions of such a document have profound religious and philosophical implications. Be certain that whatever you sign is consistent with your beliefs and wishes. In addition to terminal illness or injury situations, most states also permit you to express your preferences as to treatment using life-sustaining equipment or tube feeding for medical conditions that leave you permanently unconscious and without detectable brain activity.
A living will applies in situations in which the decision to use such treatments may prolong your life for a limited period of time and not obtaining such treatment would result in your death. Having a living will does not mean that medical professionals would deny you pain medications and other treatments that would relieve pain or otherwise make you more comfortable. Living wills do not determine your medical treatment in situations that do not affect your continued life, such as routine medical treatment and non life-threatening medical conditions. Most states permit you to include other medical directions that you wish your physicians to be aware of regarding the types of treatment you do or do not wish to receive. In all states the determination as to whether you are in such a medical condition is determined by medical professionals, usually your attending physician and at least one other medical doctor who has examined you or reviewed your medical situation.
source http://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate_planning/living_wills_health_care_proxies_advance_health_care_directives.html
