A free living will is a document produced by a declarant (the person instructing health care providers on their wishes pertaining to medical treatments that may prolong their life) if they are unable to think or speak for themselves when they become ill. It is a legal document that directs health care professionals in advance to a person’s illness. It is a very pertinent document to prepare because it informs family members of a person’s desire for treatment and prevents the family members from having to guess what a person’s wishes are.
Each state has different legal requirements for the preparation of free living wills. They can be prepared by attorneys specializing in estate planning.
There are many sites online that offer free living will forms and software. One such software is the Nolo Award Winning Estate Planning Software.
A free living will should describe in great detail life prolonging treatments. The declarant decides which treatments (if any) you wish to be given if you become in a vegetative state that is permanent. The living will not be effective until a person becomes incapacitated.
Certification By A Physician For A Free Living Will
All living wills require certification by doctors before they can go into effect. The doctors must certify that the person has a terminal illness or will be unconscious indefinitely. A living will cannot become effective if, for instance, a person suffers a stroke, heart attack, or gets diabetes. The person must be rendered permanently unconscious. If a person has a living will and requires life prolonging procedures, they would still get resuscitated, if need be. The living will is only used if there is no hope for recovery from an unconscious state.
When a person is ill but not unconscious, the living will cannot become effective. Therefore, in these situations, a person should have a power of attorney for health
care or a proxy. A power of attorney for health care is also a legal document. It gives the designated person the right to choose life prolonging medical procedures if you become incapacitated. It is important to speak to the person you designate and state your wishes clearly so they can decide on your behalf if it becomes necessary. These types of conversations are very difficult to have. However, it is important for your designated person to make the decision that you would have chosen had you been able to. It also lessens the burden on the designated person if this situation arises.
Everyone Needs A Free Living Will
Free living wills are useless if you don’t make someone aware that you have one. Speak to your doctor and the person you plan to designate as your health care proxy as soon as possible about your living will. An accident can cause anyone to become incapacitated. Therefore, it is important that everyone has a living will. Think about the medical treatments you would want in case you do become incapacitated and then discuss the treatments with the person you plan to designate as your health care proxy and your doctor. Ask your doctor questions about your options before you decide. Once you have decided what your wishes are, you are ready to create a free living will.
It is extremely difficult to contemplate creating a living will. However, once you have decided to create a living will and have discussed your options with family and your doctor, preparing a living will is simple. Online sites provide free and simple examples of composing legal wills. Most sites provide step-by-step instructions on how to complete a free living will.
Many more people are composing free living wills today all around the globe. Past experience has taught all of us how important it is to have a living will. It is a huge burden for family members and loved ones to make a decision for those who did not complete a living will when they become incapacitated. Most people who don’t have a living will have never discussed the options with family and loved ones because they never imagined they would become incapacitated. Perhaps it was too difficult to discuss with family members or they were young enough where they felt they had a long life to live and it was too early to discuss. However, it is never too early to have a free living will because one never knows what the future holds.
Check out this YouTube video that shows how to make your own free living will.
↑ Back to Top