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A living will is a written, legal document that spells out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive, as well as your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. In determining your wishes, think about your values.

Advance directives (like a health care proxy and living will) document future care preference and are difficult to interpret in an emergency. Advance directives are for everyone 18 years of age and older. MOLST is a set of medical orders that defines life-sustaining treatment the patient wants to receive or avoid now.

A power of attorney may be more flexible, since it's impossible to predict all the medical decisions that might come up in the future and spell out your exact preferences for all of these situations. Many states actually combine the living will and power of attorney into one "advance directive" form.

-In addition, patient's have a right to have advance directives, such as a living will and durable power of attorney for health care.

In Maryland, a valid will must be (1) in writing, (2) signed, and (3) attested and signed by two credible witnesses. It may be handwritten or typed and any two adults can be witnesses. A will does not require a notary, though a notary can be a witness. Electronic, oral, and video wills are not valid in Maryland.

Under state law, living wills function a little differently from the wills we normally think of. Instead of bequeathing a person's property and possessions, a living will is a legally binding document that can state a person's medical treatment preferences, should they become unable to do so.