What Is a Living Will?
A living will is a legal document that outlines a person's medical treatment preferences if they become unable to communicate their wishes. It typically addresses life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation, ventilators, and other critical healthcare decisions.
Why is a living will important?
- Clarifies medical decisions: Ensures that healthcare providers and family members follow a patient’s wishes in serious medical situations.
- Prevents uncertainty: Loved ones won’t have to guess about end-of-life care choices.
- Part of an advance directive: A living will is one type of advance directive, which is a broader legal document covering a person’s medical preferences and decision-making authority.
Living will vs. other advance care documents
A living will is just one part of advance care planning. Here’s how it differs from related documents:
- Advance directive: A general term for legal documents that outline a person’s medical preferences. It may include a living will and a durable power of attorney for healthcare.
- Living will: Specifies medical treatments a person does or does not want if they cannot communicate.
- Durable power of attorney for healthcare: Appoints someone to make medical decisions on the patient’s behalf if they are incapacitated.
- DNR order: A specific medical directive stating that a patient does not want CPR if their heart stops.
How Solace can help
A Solace advocate can help patients and families understand living wills, facilitate conversations with doctors, and ensure that care teams have the right documents on file. If a patient’s wishes change, an advocate can assist in updating their medical directives.
What to do next
Want to make sure your healthcare preferences are honored? A Solace advocate can help you navigate medical directives. Find an advocate today.