What Is a Living Will?
A living will is a legal document that is sometimes called an advance directive. Its compiler can make a list of life-sustaining procedures and medical care they want (or do not want) to receive in case their life is in danger, and they can’t make decisions by themselves. Before performing complex surgeries and introducing life support methods (such as mechanical ventilation), physicians refer to the instructions in the patient’s advance directive. If a person did not fill out living will forms during their lifetime, the responsibility for making decisions lies on their next of kin.
Living Will vs. Health Care Directive: Is There a Difference?
Despite the different names, these two documents are essentially the same; just different terms are used in different states. They are a set of instructions for medical personnel on how to deal with patients when they are unable to take care of themselves and give orders. Both are compiled in advance and serve as a kind of guide in critical health situations. Legal living will forms are also often confused with testaments (or last wills). These documents are fundamentally different; in particular, the latter are orders about the assets owned by patients and not about medical procedures.
Where to Get Living Will Forms
You can find a huge selection of free printable living will forms in this PDFLiner catalog. Depending on your state, the details of this type of document may vary. Therefore, carefully study the template library and choose the most suitable one or just click on the state you need on the list at the bottom of the page.
Read our instructions for working with a particular form, hit “Fill this form,” and start filling it out. You can do it on the spot or download the form to your device and fill it out later at your convenience. If you also want to dispose of property at the same time, use living trust will forms.
How to Make a Living Will
The easiest and most convenient way is to use ready-made blank living will forms for compiling such documents. If necessary, you can modify them to include all the instructions that are required in your particular case. Before drafting, we recommend that you consult your doctor and a lawyer specializing in resolving such issues to consider all the nuances.
You should divide the entire living will text into several thematic parts. You can request extended medical care for certain conditions or entirely refuse any resuscitation measures. Be sure to leave instructions about how you should be treated when you are in an unconscious, so-called “vegetative state.
Since advanced health care directives are a set of guidelines for specific medical procedures, the following aspects should be considered:
- the circumstances under which you believe that your life should continue to be supported;
- states when you think that the treatment and procedures have no effect, which means that it is pointless to continue to support your life;
- details of cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
- the need and duration of artificial lung ventilation;
- duration of tube feeding;
- situations in which dialysis is required and its duration;
- the use of antiviral drugs and antibiotics;
- features of palliative care;
- instructions regarding the donation of your organs in the event of death;
- refusal of resuscitation and intubation.
After you consult with a doctor and/or a lawyer and are ready to draw up a living will, here's what you need to do:
1. Explore all the templates available in this category and choose the one that suits you best. You can modify any of them as you need.
2. In addition to the medical instructions listed above, the document must contain the following information:
- date of drawing up the order;
- your full name and date of birth;
- a statement that you were of sound mind when compiling this document;
- an indication of a direct healthcare proxy and an alternative trustee;
- a list and signatures of witnesses that confirm your voluntary participation.
3. Indicate the date of filling out the document and put your signature. The file must also be signed by witnesses and notarized.
Be sure to read the standard living will forms online and make adjustments depending on your state of health and doctors’ recommendations. Although a living will is a guideline for physicians, you should appoint a responsible person who may make decisions in situations where physicians are unable to do so. You can use one of our living will power of attorney forms to do it.
How to Write a Legally Binding Living Will
You can write the text of a living will yourself by consulting with your doctor, or you can seek legal advice. In any case, the document must be signed in the presence of witnesses and a notary, who will use their seal to confirm the legality of your order and that you were of sound mind when signing it. Only under these conditions, your paper will be considered legally valid.
You can always make changes to the text, but in this case, a notary will also need to certify the latest version. You, your doctor (or hospital), and a lawyer or other trusted person should have copies of your living will.
