What is a Living Will? A living will is a directive that tells doctors what your personal wishes are about end-of-life medical care. It expresses how a person who is physically (or mentally) incapacitated wishes to be treated in certain medical situations. A living will becomes effective once a doctor decides that a person is incapacitated and unable to communicate his or her decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment. In a living will, the person may state, among other things, his or her wishes regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, artificial and/or mechanical life support and tube feeding. Who needs to be involved? If you become incapacitated, your living will only be effective if those who are treating you are aware of its existence. It should be accessible, so it’s advisable to inform your family of the living will’s location and give them copies. It is also wise to regularly give medical practitioners who treat you, copies of the living will.
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It is advisable to get assistance from a professional such as an attorney when drafting your living will. In practice, it must be signed by the individual and two competent witnesses present at the same time.
“Our right to life is closely tied to our right to dignity, entitling us to a dignified death.” Why is it important to have a living will? • Our right to life is closely tied to our right to dignity, entitling us to a dignified death. A living will allows an individual to retain their dignity by giving them a voice when they cannot speak for themselves.
