Many different end of life care concerns should be addressed in your living will. If you have questions about certain medical decisions, you’ll want to discuss them with your doctor in advance so that you have a clear idea of the options available to you. If you have specific wishes regarding any of this medical care, you should document it in your living will. These include:
- Dialysis, which removes waste from your blood and manages fluid levels in the event that your kidneys no longer function
- CPR, which restarts the heart when it stops beating
- Mechanical ventilation, which helps you breathe if you’re unable to do so on your own
- Tube feeding, which supplies your body with fluids and nutrients via a tube in a stomach or intravenously
- Comfort or palliative care which helps you manage pain and stay comfortable
- Antibiotics or anti-viral drugs that can be used to treat infections
- Tissue and organ donation concerns
- Donating your body to science.
Creating an advanced directive with the help of an experienced estate planning attorney is recommended. You will need to appoint a trusted advisor in this role to make these decisions for you. If you do have specific wishes, it’s best to document them in advance so that your chosen trusted adviser is able to make these decisions quickly. Schedule a time to meet with an estate planning lawyer today to learn more.
Our Pasadena estate planning lawyers can help you decide how to create a living will so that you have peace of mind in the event of an emergency.
