Do you not have a living will in place and are not sure if you need one? If so, it can help to know some benefits of having a living will.

You Won't Need One Until It's Too Late

Many people put off the process of making a living will, but the unfortunate thing about procrastinating on this important legal document is that it will be too late once you actually need it. A living will gives you the right to make medical decisions if you are unable to make it known what you want to have happen to you. If you are incapacitated and in the hospital, you will be relying on family members to make decisions on your behalf. 

You Have The Right To Make Certain Decisions

The ability to have a living will to make your personal medical decisions is made possible by The Patient Self-Determination Act. It gives you the right to make decisions based on your personal values and attitudes, the type of illness you have, and even if you want to live or die.

You Can Give Instructions On Life-Sustaining Measures

A living will allows you to provide specific wishes about life-sustaining measures. This includes if you want to be provided with artificial nutrition and fluids so that you can stay alive, or if you want to be put on a ventilator in order to help you breathe. You can even request that medical personnel do not attempt to resuscitate you if you were to die. 

Some people have very strong feelings about these life-sustaining issues. They may not want to be put in a situation where they may suffer and be unable to vocalize that they do not want those life-saving measures. That's why it's so important to write your wishes down in a living will.

You Can Provide A Healthcare Power Of Attorney

You are allowed to give the healthcare power of attorney to someone so that they specifically make decisions about your medical care. By making someone your healthcare representative, this person will not automatically have control over your finances. You can actually make one person have the healthcare power of attorney, and give another person power of attorney over finances so that they are kept completely separate. Some people prefer to pick a very specific person to make these medical decisions, even if it is not their spouse. 

Reach out to a company like Legal Document Assistants | LDA PRO to learn more about living wills.