How do I create a 'Living Will' to ensure my end-of-life wishes are honored?

[GENIERE]

A “Living Will"

A “Living Will”; help me create one so I can properly apprise my family of my life or death wishes should I not be able to do so. Family history seems to indicate I have about twenty years to go (mid-late 80’s). I can’t recall any family member being comatose before death, but who knows what awaits me.

Advice appreciated!

 

[Davorak]

Not a fun topic to talk about and not something that is needed often. It can be invaluable to the relatives that will be caring for you in such an unfortunate even that it would be needed.

Both sets of grandparents and my parents have a living will written out. I have been fortunate that only one of my grandparents has yet had need of such a thing.

Having a written living will can save much grief and in some cases hard feelings between relatives.

So I encourage you one to complete one and get it out of the way.

I just found these with a google search for reference for those who do not know what a living will is.
Examples of living wills.
http://www.iowabar.org/Forms.nsf/da399aee3d0b0851862567f400696f09/16317dc59ad86e1086256989005c8447/$FILE/Living%20Will.pdf

http://www.consumerlaw.com/lw.html

http://www.dignifiedaging.com/livingwillexample_01.htm

General info:
http://wings.buffalo.edu/faculty/research/bioethics/lwill.html

 

[russ_watters]

You really should have a lawyer do it (or at least get some software).

 

[hypatia]

State laws vary. In Michigan you can hand write it, including power of attorney, have it witnessed by 2 people who are not family, notarized..and your done.
Check the laws in your state...some are much more complex.

 

[Danger]

I have about twenty years to go (mid-late 80’s)

Holy ****! I'm not the oldest one here?!

 

[GENIERE]

I should have been more clear. I already have a will re: estate ( )aspects. I was soliciting for advice as to the medical aspects should I be incapaciitated as per "Terri Schiavo".

 

[hypatia]

Thats where the power of attorney comes in..you half to appoint someone who will speak for you, if you are not able to speak for yourself. This person should not be a family member and should be fully apprised of your wishes, via the living will.
In my case, its a close friend who will act in my behalf.

 

[GENIERE]

Thats where the power of attorney comes in..you half to appoint someone who will speak for you, if you are not able to speak for yourself. This person should not be a family member and should be fully apprised of your wishes, via the living will.
In my case, its a close friend who will act in my behalf.

Good advice but I’m already aware of that. It seems I’m already losing my ability to communicate well.

If I were to presumed to be in a “vegetative state”, but actually sentient and seeking some method of making my condition and desires known, how might that be done? Is there some means of communicating; drool from the left side of my mouth for a yes, the right for a no? What previously planned “code” could I encourage a witness to look for?

...

 

[Moonbear]

Good advice but I’m already aware of that. It seems I’m already losing my ability to communicate well.

If I were to presumed to be in a “vegetative state”, but actually sentient and seeking some method of making my condition and desires known, how might that be done? Is there some means of communicating; drool from the left side of my mouth for a yes, the right for a no? What previously planned “code” could I encourage a witness to look for?

...

That's why you need to choose the person who you will appoint as your guardian very carefully. Your estate attorney (the one who helped you with your will), should be able to help you draft a living will (or advanced directive; depending what your state calls it) that can account for a lot of scenarios, but unfortunately, some things cannot be anticipated, and you need someone you trust enough to know you well enough to make those decisions on your behalf.

The other thing you would want is a durable power of attorney, with which you can stipulate conditions when it becomes effective, such as loss of consciousness or inability to communicate or write or things like that. The durable power of attorney gives someone else the ability to take care of your stuff for you (like pay your bills and manage your bank accounts), while the living will/advanced directive gives them the ability to take care of you for you.

 

[stoned]

hahaha,everyone is scrambling now to get living will because of schiavo story.
well...i'm going to have to get one too- pull the plug.

 

[Moonbear]

hahaha,everyone is scrambling now to get living will because of schiavo story.
well...i'm going to have to get one too- pull the plug.

It's a good thing to have. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but have been contemplating such grown-up topics for a while. I've already discussed it at length with the close friend who I would appoint as my guardian, so it's just a matter of getting around to tracking down an appropriate attorney. Since I find myself aging while still single, and am aware I'm the only one in my family who understands what any doctors are saying (oh, boy, could I go into long stories about my grandfather's illnesses and what they think the doctors tell them), I would never trust my "next of kin" to make a phone call for me let alone life and death decisions. Heck, the doctors might recommend pulling the plug on me just so my mom would go away (hmm...maybe I need to add something on limiting visits from mom...it would truly be torture to be a captive audience to my mom).

 

[Astronuc]

My kind of Living Will

Living Will (obtained from a friend)


I, _________________________ (fill in your name), being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.

Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of peckerwood politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it.

If a week or so passes and I fail to sit up and ask for a cold beer, it should be presumed that I won't ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my spouse, children and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.

Under no circumstances shall the members of the Legislature enact a special law to keep me on life-support machinery. It is my wish that these boneheads mind their own damn business, and pay attention instead to the health, education and future of the millions of Americans who aren't in a permanent coma.

Under no circumstances shall any politicians butt into this case. I don't care how many fundamentalist votes they're trying to scrounge for their run for the next presidency, it is my wish that they play politics with someone else's life and leave me alone to die in peace.

I couldn't care less if a hundred religious zealots send e-mails to legislators in which they pretend to care about me. I don't know these people, and I certainly haven't authorized them to preach and crusade on my behalf. They should mind their own business, too.

If any of my family goes against my wishes and turns my case into a political cause, I hereby promise to come back from the grave and make their existence a living hell.



___________________________________
Signature

 

[hypatia]

lmao..thats just perfect