More specifically, a good living will defines the types of circumstances when it is to be effective and treatment or support that you do not wish to receive under such circumstances. It can contain a checklist of treatment and support options and/or it may spell out “quality of life” criteria that you wish applied to any related decision-making.

There are variations in living wills, due to requirements of the State in which they are prepared. Sometimes a Healthcare Power of Attorney is also included. In the final analysis, a living will is intended to take the guesswork out of some of life’s hardest decisions. This is vitally important if you are unable to act for yourself in making such decisions!

Do I need a Living Will?
You can find this answer by pondering several other questions. What will happen in an emergency if I don’t have a living will? Who will make critical decisions about my treatment and support? Will those decisions reflect my values and desires? Will my loved ones be burdened unnecessarily by legal or other complications to my treatment and support?

Each person’s life circumstances are unique. The answers to these questions will vary somewhat. However, it is difficult to envision many situations where a living will would not be desirable and needed.

Where can I get or have a Living Will prepared?
There are many valuable resources available. Your Physician or hospital should have helpful information. An Attorney can prepare the living will for you. However, you can also find reliable, do-it-yourself guidance and forms in several places.

We do not practice law nor seek to unduly influence your decisions in such important matters. Our intent is to point out available resources and solutions. Choice of resource is a right that only you should exercise. Informed choice is always best! For related resources, click here.

What should I do once I have a Living Will?
Having a living will is of little use if those who need to know its content don’t know of its existence or can’t promptly access it. It also is important to keep a living will updated. A living will that is filed away or in a safe deposit box is of little value!

How can I be sure my living will and other vital data is available when it is needed?
There are registries that will accept a living will and then make it available to medical providers if the provider has paid a fee to participate in the registry. Others offer free advice and/or forms if you are willing to browse through many paid advertisements or make a contribution. However, LivingWillSolutions.com believes that your living will should be available to any medical provider or personal representative needing the information. “Free with no strings attached.” Surely that would be your intent in having a living will.

Our answer to this question is, register your Living Will with LivingWillSolutions.com. There is no charge for basic registration. Access will be granted to any inquiring medical provider or other representative, without charge. Click here for information about how LWS.com works.

What are some other helpful hints?
One important caution has to do with having both a living will and a separate healthcare power of attorney. It is important that such documents be consistent with one another. A power of attorney or similar directive that does not recognize and agree with terms of a living will may invalidate the living will. As with all legal documents, another often-overlooked point is to keep a living will current. If outdated it reverts things back to square one ...no living will.

Most important of all, don’t just prepare a living will and put it away. Make sure that it and all other vital information that others will need in an emergency are available to them and safe from fire, flood or other causes of loss. For a state-of-the-art solution, click here.