A Guide to Living Wills
A Living Will, or an active declaration as it is also known, is a document outlining your intentions in the event that you should become incapable of making your own healthcare decisions. Specifically, this refers to life-sustaining medical treatment such as resuscitation, mechanical ventilation and artificial ventilation.
History
First proposed by the American Lawyer Louis Kutner in 1969, Living Wills were initially conceived as a means of allowing patients to refuse life-saving treatments. However, in the early days, these documents were difficult to enforce as the language used did not accurately translate into specific medical actions and treatment.
Over time, however, the standard and development of frameworks for the effective documentation of Living Wills has greatly improved. Today, people can make a Living Will, safe in the knowledge that should the unthinkable happen, their wishes will be fully taken into consideration.
Why make a Living Will?
Living Wills may be helpful in the event that an individual becomes incapacitated and unable to communicate, therefore being unable to dictate what medical treatment , if any, they receive.
Many people may be prompted to make a Living Will to protect them from un-necessary pain and also prevent their loved ones from having to watch them suffer. They can also be helpful in removing the burden of potentially difficult decisions from loved ones.
However, it is worth noting that Living Wills are not a form of Euthanasia. In certain cases, Living Wills can be used to prolong life rather than cut it short.
The advantages of making a Living Will
There are many advantages to making a Living Will. Primarily, it makes provisions for circumstances where one is unable to make reasoned judgements about medical care and allows them to dictate how they are treated.
It opens up a dialogue for discussion with family and loved ones about what should happen in certain circumstances, enabling individuals to reach decisions, which take everyone’s views into account.
The disadvantages of making a Living Will
For most people, the thought of contemplating a situation where they are incapacitated is something which is hard to face. Many people who live healthy lives find it difficult to imagine themselves in a position where a Living Will would come into effect.
The Living Will has to be constantly updated to reflect the wishes of the individual, which may change over time. For these reasons, most people neglect to make a Living Will.
When should I make a Living Will?
It is always a good idea to consider making provisions for ill health. However, most people find that the best time to make a Living Will is in the early stages of a diseases or illness. This is because it is only when an individual is faced with these circumstances that they can fully understand the implications of the decisions they are making. Also, they can make informed decisions with the help and guidance of medical professionals.
Trust Inheritance are specialists in producing Living Wills for clients across the U.K. Our team of skilled will writers take the time to listen to your needs to ensure you make a Living Will that accurately represents your wishes. To find out more, visit: http://www.trustinheritnace.com.