Living Will Sample
A living will is a statement, written by you,
that outlines your wishes if you become incapacitated due
to coma, brain damage, or an accident. It's also known as
a health care directive, and it can specify whether or not
you want to be kept alive by artificial means. A living will
can also put another person in charge of making medical decisions
when you cannot.
Generally speaking, it's wise to have a living will- especially
if you're going into surgery under general anesthesia. Even
if you already have a living will in place, you need to verbally
inform your family of your wishes. The Internet makes it easy
to create a living will, with templates that allow you to
input your details, print, and sign. You can add as much or
as little information as you wish.
Although a living will and a power of attorney may sound
similar, there are a few differences. A living will gives
directions on what to do when you can't speak for yourself
or make decisions (such as if you were on life support). A
power of attorney gives another party the right to speak or
sign papers on your behalf, when you are incapacitated but
not in danger of losing your life.
A power of attorney form can also be found online and filled
out easily. To complete it, you will need to ask someone to
serve as your POA, and you will need to discuss your wishes
with them because they will be speaking for you. You should
have more than one person in mind for the job, in case your
first choice can't do it.
With a living will, you don't have to notarize the document
(although it should be signed and witnessed by two people
who aren't relatives). Make copies and give one to your doctor,
one to the family member who will be carrying out your wishes,
and keep another copy in a safe place.
When writing your living will, make sure both your doctor
and your family know what you want. A living will is a directive
for health care, not for the disposition of property. As such,
it doesn't have to be filed legally. However, there are notarization
and witnessing requirements that can vary widely from state
to state. To find out more about living wills and power of
attorney forms, consult a professional in your area.
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