What is a Living Will?
An advance medical directive or “living will” is separate from your Will, but may be an important part of your estate plan. It states that in the event you have a terminal, incurable medical condition and your life is only being prolonged by means of artificially provided life support, and if you cannot communicate your desires, the living will “speaks for you” so your doctors know and can act upon, your desires about medical life support. Once executed, the document is effective until you revoked it, which you may do at any time by physically destroying it or revoking it.
A living will provides instructions in case someone becomes incapacitated and is unable to direct their own health care decisions. Living wills do not dispose of property nor are they subject to probate – they are a separate entity that spells out a person’s wishes for their care in the event that they cannot express their decisions.
A Living Will is a written statement that expresses your wishes about medical treatment that would delay death from a terminal condition. It also applies to situations of persistent vegetative state or irreversible coma. A Living Will would speak for you in the event that you were unable to communicate. It gives direction and guidance to others, but is not as broadly applicable as a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney. For example, a Living Will does not permit health care providers to stop tube feeding – only an agent appointed by a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney or a court-appointed guardian may make such a decision.
A “living will” (also called an advance directive) is a set of instructions issued in advance to the medical practitioners who may be involved in looking after you in the future. People making a Living Will state that they do not wish their lives to be artificially prolonged when suffering from a terminal illness or other degenerative conditions. The London Will Company can draw up these instructions for you if required.
