Adopt Autograph Living Will Template For Free - Living Will

Some questions you will want to think about when writing a living will include the following: Do you want or not want certain interventions related to breathing and feeding? Do you want to receive or exclude certain pain management medications or procedures? Do you want a DNI or DNR order?

A living will, also called a declaration, tells your family and doctor your wishes when you can't speak for yourself. It's used to describe treatment you want as you near the end of your life or if you get seriously hurt or ill. You can change or cancel your living will at any time.

A living will addresses many of the medical procedures common in life-threatening situations, such as resuscitation via electric shock, ventilation, and dialysis. One can choose to allow some of these procedures or none of them. One can also indicate whether they wish to donate organs and tissues after death.

So long as a Living Will appears valid and the medical professionals are not aware of any fraud, revocation, or that it was improperly executed, the attending physician may rely on it without the threat of liability. A Living Will must be witnessed by two uninterested parties, and should be notarized if possible.

The most common statement in a living will is to the effect that: If I suffer an incurable, irreversible illness, disease, or condition and my attending physician determines that my condition is terminal, I direct that life-sustaining measures that would serve only to prolong my dying be withheld or discontinued.

1. I direct that I be given health care treatment to relieve pain or provide comfort even if such treatment might shorten my life, suppress my appetite or my breathing, or be habit forming. 2. I direct that all life prolonging procedures be withheld or withdrawn.

There are three main disadvantages to using a living will: Living wills have a limited scope; Living wills rely on physician compliance; Living wills are not always given to health care providers.

The guidelines for Living Wills will vary in each state; however, in Tennessee, your document needs to be acknowledged by a notary public or signed by two witnesses.