Find Peace of Mind With Living Will Forms

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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Living Will Samples

By Candis Reade

It is a wise forethought to plan for incapacitation. A legal will dictates what happens to you and your belongings after death. But, what makes medical decisions for you when you are incapacitated, but still alive? That document is called a living will (AKA: physicians directive, health care declaration, or health care directive.)

If you have ever seen living will samples, then you might know that it addresses specific medical care directives during incapacitation. Of course, it must be made with a sound mind. Every adult would be prudent to express their wishes through a living will. The unexpected is only a second away. The national coverage of vegetative patient, Terri Schiavo, is the quintessential example of why living wills are not just for the elderly. Living wills assure that your medical care demands are followed word for word. It also unburdens loved ones from making life and death decisions for you.

Living wills can be as general or detailed as you wish them to be. For example, you can make a general statement like: No measures taken to prolong life in case of irreversible or incurable diseases. On the other hand, you can make a specific statement. An example would be: I do not want to be given any antibiotics, palliative medications, analgesics, CPR, or gastrointestinal feeding tubes in case of irreversible or incurable disease. You can even go as far to say whether you wish to have hydration and food given. However, you can also make a living will state what you do specifically want.

The Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act established the right for a person to have a living will. However, this law varies state by state and some states do not refer to it as a living will, but rather one of the names listed above. Some states have specific forms and validation rules to make the living will valid. You must check the particular state where you live to get exact details. You may find it helpful to hire a lawyer to show you living will samples and assist you in drafting your own. Usually, the legal fee is $200.00-$600.00, but well worth it to ensure you are in accordance with state laws. Local hospice agencies can also show you living will samples and help you find the right form for your state.

Common issues that are addressed in a living will are:

* CPR
* Ventilation
* Nutrition/Hydration
* Dialysis
* Surgery
* Organ donation
* Palliative treatment and medications
* Analgesics
* Wound care
* Amputation
* Disease specific medications
* Blood transfusions
* Invasive testing

Dont just store your living will away. This may seem like a safe idea, but it is useless if not readily available. It is advised to give a copy to your physician, lawyer, and power of attorney. Consider a power of attorney too, because not every scenario can not be documented in a living will. It is wise to look over your living will every five years or with any health change and make any desired changes inside.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Living Will Samples [http://mylivingwills.info/living-will-samples], please visit My Living Wills [http://mylivingwills.info] for current articles and discussions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candis_Reade
 
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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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It's Important to Plan End of Life Decisions

By Nick Messe

An effective estate plan is more than a decision on how to distribute your assets after death and should be developed at the law offices of a qualified estate planning attorney. A will is an important starting point in the process, but may not always be enough depending on your specific situation. There are a variety of estate planning tools that can be utilized to give you and your family security and peace of mind. A will is a written document that outlines how a person wants their assets and property distributed upon their death. If applicable it will indicate who will become the guardian of minor children or disabled dependents. A will also sets out who will administer the estate.

Listen to the interview with Carolyn Brent too learn why it's so important to have end-of-life discussions before you are placed in a position to make a decision while wrought with emotions.

Using quality legal representation to assist you in preparing your will can help ensure your wishes are followed. Dying without a will or leaving an ill-prepared will can lead to confusion, contests by family members and increased probate costs. A trust is used to manage assets or property. There are different types of trusts available depending on the situation. For instance, a living trust is used to transfer assets to a trust to be administrated for the benefit of the person until death. A testamentary trust is established in a will and usually prepares for the financial care of minor children or disabled dependents.

A successful and enforceable trust should be prepared by an attorney to ensure it meets all legal requirements. Other important estate planning tools include living wills and powers of attorney. A power of attorney is used to assign personal powers to an agent to act on your behalf in a legal capacity. Different types of powers of attorney include limited, general, durable and financial.

For instance, a durable power of attorney allows your agent to act in your capacity during your incapacitation. Utilizing a power of attorney in this regard helps avoid the state becoming involved in your affairs. Quality legal representation can help you understand what type of documents applies to your unique situation and ensure they are executed correctly. A living will, also referred to as an advanced health care directive, is used to specify your wishes concerning end of life decisions. Specifically, it is used to communicate to family members and medical professionals what life-saving measures, if any, should be taken.

Using an attorney to help draft your living will can help guarantee there are no misunderstandings regarding your last requests. Developing an estate plan has become a necessary part of life. It is important to interview and hire a qualified attorney from a law firm capable of handling your estate planning needs.

At the law offices of Stone, Duncan, & Associates, PC we provide quality legal services and a unique legal experience to individuals, businesses, and professionals throughout Pennsylvania. If you're looking for a Criminal Lawyer in the counties of Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, or York, give us a call.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Messe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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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End-of-Life Decision Making For Cancer Patients

By Pauline Go

People who are in the last stages of cancer should pay some attention to end-of-life decisions. The most important is advance directive, also known as living will, for medical treatment. This is nothing but a document written by the terminally ill person while he or she is still capable of making decisions. The advance directive basically states that the patient does not want artificial means of surviving should he or she become mentally incompetent. Artificial life saving measures include CPR, respirators or anything else the person can think of.

The reason why advance directive only applies to a person who in mentally incapable of making decisions is because prior to that a doctor can ask the person what his or her preferences are about the treatment. However, once the person becomes mentally incompetent, he cannot be asked to state to state his or her preference.

However, advance directive is not only about dying with dignity. There are some patients who might want to live as long as possible using CPR or artificial breathing machines. If this is mentioned in your living will, the doctors and your family would have to respect it. In fact, the doctor would have to do everything to save your life or prolong it.

Those who find writing advance directive morbid, do not have to do it. Instead they can appoint a health care agent. This is someone who makes all the healthcare decisions on your behalf when you are incapable of making them. However, you would have to tell the agent what your wishes are while you are still able to think and comprehend coherently.

Pauline Go is an online leading expert medical industry. She also offers top quality articles like:
Lung Cancer Facts,
Bone Cancer Symptoms
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2184874

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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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End of Life Plan - Not Just For the Elderly

by Laura Bramble

Most people live with a fear of being debilitated and unable to make end of life decisions, whether by accident, disease or aging. Mental autonomy is a vital part of our identities and it is hard to imagine life without it. Yet many face that very situation every day. Having a clearly defined, written plan that close friends and family understand goes a long way in relieving some of that fear.

Like wills, people approach end of life plans with hesitation. These plans are seen as morbid or as bringing bad things into being. Younger people feel that there is plenty of time; only "old people" need to plan ahead and declare their wishes. However, many who need end of life plans are not those who are dying a slow and dignified death with plenty of time to set things in order. Accidents and sudden illnesses create situations that render the victim incapacitated and unable to make decisions for himself, the very situation that requires this kind of plan. The suddenness of the condition also leaves family members to deal with a large number of issues and emotions at once, besides the burden of having to make decisions for a loved one. Having a plan in place keeps loved ones from having to think about those issues while they are in the midst of coping with their emotions and prevents them from ever wondering if they did the right thing and respected your unknown wishes.

A basic end of life plan deals with a few issues: life support and extraordinary medical measures, organ donation and funeral arrangements, hospice care and financial issues. Whether a patient wants doctors to keep them on life support for an extended period or resort to complicated or risky procedures on a faint hope of success needs to be spelled out, since making that decision means condemning a loved one to death. This is a very pressure filled situation for a grieving loved one. For those that have definite feelings about how they wish their body to be handled after death, especially those with strong religious convictions, putting directions in writing removes any guesswork and ensures that their final wishes will be met. Some people are comfortable with the idea of hospice care, while others would rather die at home, surrounded by familiar people and things, which an end of life plan makes clear. An end of life plan also creates arrangements for the support of spouses and children, temporary custody and guardianship, and funding for medical and funeral expenses.

It takes a team to develop a solid end of life plan. Especially if you are ill or elderly, speaking with your doctor about what to expect and getting answers to questions can help you settle the medical issues surrounding long-term care and life support. An attorney can give legal advice on the best and smoothest way to handle any transfers of property or authority. A financial advisor who specializes in estate and succession planning can advise you on the most effective way to structure your finances to guarantee that funds are in place to cover expenses while minimizing the tax burden on loved ones.

Laura Bramble is a freelance writer living in Atlanta. You may view more of her work at walkers for seniors or walkers with wheels

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Bramble

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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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Fear of Pain in Dying Process

When I faced emergency gall bladder surgery in 1989, I was more afraid of having to endure the suffering associated with recovery from such a horrendous surgery. Laser surgery was just becoming available, but it was not an option in my case because a gallstone was lodged in the bile duct and my gall bladder was so full that it had begun to perforate. There was too much of a risk that bile would leak into my abdominal cavity, so an eight-inch incision was made to remove my gall bladder and unblock my bile duct.

Even as I was suffering with severe pain prior to being taken into surgery, I was not concerned at all about dying. Honestly, I was quite angry when I awoke and found that I had survived! I hated the pain I felt then, and I detest suffering still. After witnessing my grandmother's plight these past months, I especially want to avoid pain in the dying process when my time comes.

I have signed a living will stating that I so not want to be placed on life support and forced to endure needless suffering should I become unable to live with any quality of life. While it doesn’t eliminate the possibility that I will suffer on my deathbed, I think this is a good way to assure that I will not to be kept alive by machines if I should end up in a persistent vegetated state. I don't think it is fair to a family to have to make a decision like the one Terri Schiavo's family faced.

If you would like to create your own living will, here's a free PDF of an advanced directive that you can download, print, fill in your information, sign your copy, and have it witnessed.

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase on Amazon.com

My Views on Euthanasia

People with strong religious beliefs may not agree with my views on euthanasia. Many hold the opinion that voluntarily ending a human life is immoral and should not be legalized.

The Nancy Cruzan case provides the U.S. legal framework for honoring the legal right of a patient in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). Nancy Cruzan had sustained severe injuries in an automobile accident, and had been in a PVS for five years when the Cruzan family petitioned for the removal of her feeding tube. Hospital employees refused, without court approval, to honor the request of her parents and co-petitioners, to terminate her artificial nutrition and hydration, since that would result in her death. The Missouri Trial Court ruled that Nancy Cruzan had the fundamental right to ask for the removal of her feeding tube. The court rejected the argument that her parents were entitled to terminate her medical treatment, concluding that no person can assume that choice for someone else in the absence of clear and convincing evidence of the patient's wishes. Nancy had expressed to a former housemate that she would not wish to continue living if she became sick or injured unless she could live at least halfway normally. The court, however, decided that the State Living Will statute strongly favored the preservation of life, and that Cruzan's statements to her housemate were unreliable for the purpose of determining her intent.

In 1990, the US Supreme Court affirmed the state's right to determine its requirements for “clear and convincing evidence” and held that a patient in a PVS had the right to discontinue nutrition and hydration when sufficient evidence of their desire was available. In the end, a state trial court authorized the termination of Nancy Cruzan’s feeding tube on June 25, 1990, and found that a person in Cruzan's condition had a fundamental right under the state and federal law to do so. In this case, it would have been ideal for Nancy to have had a living will which stated her end of life wishes in writing.

My book, More Than Meets the Eye, has a legal copy of a living will in the appendix. Or, you may DOWNLOAD YOUR LIVING WILL HERE, and then print it and sign with two witnesses to legally secure your desires concerning life-sustaining treatment and end-of-life procedures.

What are your wishes regarding your final days?

When Terry Schiavo's story hit the news, many people were speaking out for both sides of euthanasia; both the pros and cons, passive and active. The phrase "persistent vegetative state" became a household term and many people were urged to consider the benefit of having a living will. For that reason, More Than Meets the Eye contains a legal copy of a Living Will, or you may download it from the link below. Don't let others decide for you; state your wishes now.

You may DOWNLOAD YOUR LIVING WILL HERE, and then print it and sign with two witnesses to legally secure your desires concerning life-sustaining treatment and end-of-life procedures.