Healthcare Directive or Living Will is a legal document that allows you to make your healthcare decisions known to your loved ones. It states the type of medical treatment you wish to receive in certain circumstances, such as when you are in a coma or have lost the ability to make decisions.
You can also designate a healthcare proxy with this document. This person will act on your behalf if you cannot make your own healthcare decisions due to illness or injury. People of any age can use it, but it is especially vital for people over the age of 60 who may not be able to express their wishes regarding end-of-life care.
You may feel uncomfortable writing down your wishes, but a living will be extremely valuable for the patient and their families. Here are some benefits why you should consider creating one:
- It does not go into effect unless you become incapacitated.
In this case, you can only use the document if you are physically or mentally incapable of making your own healthcare decisions. It does not go into effect unless you become incapacitated and unable to communicate your wishes for medical treatment. Once you are incapable of making these decisions, a representative or healthcare proxy appointed in your paperwork would step in and make those decisions on your behalf. A healthcare proxy must be signed by two witnesses who are not related to you by blood or marriage. - It will help your loved ones confidently navigate difficult medical decisions and procedures based on your pre-established choices.
It helps everyone involved be more aware of your preferences regarding end-of-life care, which can help avoid confusion during an emergency. Creating such documents allows you to control the terms under which health care will be provided and make decisions about life-sustaining treatment if you cannot express your wishes due to an accident, disease, or injury. You may specify all the instructions you want to give or leave it up to family members who are not physicians to decide what is best for you. They will be able to understand what you would want if you were unable to speak for yourself and then take action accordingly. - It will help avoid unnecessary suffering, family disagreements, and confusion around the healthcare choices you made prior to your injury.
A life-threatening injury will require you to make healthcare decisions. Having a will clarifies what kind of decisions need to be made at the end of life, so there won’t be any surprises when the time comes. It will allow family, doctors, and hospital staff to respect your decisions. - It will give you and your loved one’s peace of mind.
Knowing that your wishes about medical treatment have been made clear can help significantly during an illness or injury. The fear of losing control over one’s own body is a tremendous burden for many people – especially when suffering from symptoms associated with advanced age. Everyone in your family must be prepared if something goes wrong because your quality of life and dignity are worth protecting.
Creating a Living Will or Healthcare Directives is the right thing to do. It will benefit you, your loved ones, and those who care for you, and it will save them a lot of time and trouble. Creating such documents doesn’t need to be a daunting process either. When it comes to these kinds of situations, you want to act sooner than later, as time is of the essence. To ensure everything is in place and to guide you throughout, you must choose an experienced counselor.
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