By River C.
Preparation of a living will guarantees that your family and loved ones will respect your wishes in the event of catastrophic injury or illness. You cannot be too young or too fit to prepare a living will, and the easiest, most economical way to prepare the document is to use a living will form.
Also known as an "advanced medical directive," a living will specifies your wishes respecting medical procedures in case you become incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. A living will instructs your family what to do if a physician or surgeon recommends risky procedures or use of life-support systems. In your living will, you may appoint a loved one to act on your behalf, but you also simply may declare your wishes, stipulating that you wish no proxy or surrogate. Most importantly, your living will must be as detailed and specific as possible, because any treatment not included in the document becomes a matter for your next-of-kin to decide. Living will forms assure your thoroughness.
You should discuss your wishes and prepare your living will long before you require any kind of medical treatment. You may enlist an attorney's, a clergyman's, or a patient advocate's assistance as you complete living will forms. Most hospitals either have staff who specialize in advanced medical directives or can refer you to professionals well-qualified to help.
Living will forms help you remember the three essentials.
As you prepare your instructions, make certain of three essentials: First, emphasize the importance of your family's compliance with your directions; your living will is binding on them, and you should reconcile all disagreements as you negotiate its provisions. Second, make certain your document complies with the laws in your state; loving will forms generally follow or refer you to applicable laws. Third, make certain you date and sign the document in the presence of two trustworthy witnesses. You do not want implementation of your wishes delayed because you missed a minor technicality.
Living will forms cover the most difficult decisions.
Remember that your living will instructs your family, loved ones, and physicians about what to do if you suffer serious injury or illness; it guarantees they will hear and obey your voice. Using living will forms, you assure that you cover issues about tissue and organ donation: are you willing to donate your vital organs to transplant patients or to science? The forms also cover blood transfusions and the use of medications: will you accept a donor's blood, and will you allow the use of medications with severe side effects or experimental drugs? What kinds of surgery will you allow the doctors to perform; do you absolutely forbid your doctors to perform particular surgeries?
The most difficult decisions involve the use of life support: do you wish to be kept alive on a respirator; and, if so, do you wish to continue receiving food and fluids while machines support your respiration? Under what circumstances would you want doctors or family to "pull the plug"? Although these discussions may cause you and your family great pain and anguish, you more properly can reconcile these issues in the peace and privacy of your own home than you would in the confusion of the intensive care unit. Using a living will form, you gain assurance that doctors will follow your decisions.
Hence, the preparation of a living will ensure that you are respected and well cared for, in the event of an untoward event. Living will forms give you the ease and simplicity of getting a living will done within a matter of minutes, literally. To check out the templates and get more information on wills, visit our website NOW!!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=River_C.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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Preparation of a living will guarantees that your family and loved ones will respect your wishes in the event of catastrophic injury or illness. You cannot be too young or too fit to prepare a living will, and the easiest, most economical way to prepare the document is to use a living will form.
Also known as an "advanced medical directive," a living will specifies your wishes respecting medical procedures in case you become incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. A living will instructs your family what to do if a physician or surgeon recommends risky procedures or use of life-support systems. In your living will, you may appoint a loved one to act on your behalf, but you also simply may declare your wishes, stipulating that you wish no proxy or surrogate. Most importantly, your living will must be as detailed and specific as possible, because any treatment not included in the document becomes a matter for your next-of-kin to decide. Living will forms assure your thoroughness.
You should discuss your wishes and prepare your living will long before you require any kind of medical treatment. You may enlist an attorney's, a clergyman's, or a patient advocate's assistance as you complete living will forms. Most hospitals either have staff who specialize in advanced medical directives or can refer you to professionals well-qualified to help.
Living will forms help you remember the three essentials.
As you prepare your instructions, make certain of three essentials: First, emphasize the importance of your family's compliance with your directions; your living will is binding on them, and you should reconcile all disagreements as you negotiate its provisions. Second, make certain your document complies with the laws in your state; loving will forms generally follow or refer you to applicable laws. Third, make certain you date and sign the document in the presence of two trustworthy witnesses. You do not want implementation of your wishes delayed because you missed a minor technicality.
Living will forms cover the most difficult decisions.
Remember that your living will instructs your family, loved ones, and physicians about what to do if you suffer serious injury or illness; it guarantees they will hear and obey your voice. Using living will forms, you assure that you cover issues about tissue and organ donation: are you willing to donate your vital organs to transplant patients or to science? The forms also cover blood transfusions and the use of medications: will you accept a donor's blood, and will you allow the use of medications with severe side effects or experimental drugs? What kinds of surgery will you allow the doctors to perform; do you absolutely forbid your doctors to perform particular surgeries?
The most difficult decisions involve the use of life support: do you wish to be kept alive on a respirator; and, if so, do you wish to continue receiving food and fluids while machines support your respiration? Under what circumstances would you want doctors or family to "pull the plug"? Although these discussions may cause you and your family great pain and anguish, you more properly can reconcile these issues in the peace and privacy of your own home than you would in the confusion of the intensive care unit. Using a living will form, you gain assurance that doctors will follow your decisions.
Hence, the preparation of a living will ensure that you are respected and well cared for, in the event of an untoward event. Living will forms give you the ease and simplicity of getting a living will done within a matter of minutes, literally. To check out the templates and get more information on wills, visit our website NOW!!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=River_C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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