Secure Your Wishes: 4 Essential Reasons to Have a Living Will

In today’s fast-paced world, planning for the unexpected is more important than ever, especially when it comes to our health and medical care. A living will serves as a vital safeguard for individuals and their loved ones, articulating one’s preferences for medical treatment in situations where they may be unable to voice those choices. This legal document empowers individuals to take control of their healthcare decisions and provides essential guidance to family members and healthcare providers in navigating challenging medical circumstances. In this article, we will explore four reasons why having a living will is essential for everyone, ensuring that your wishes are honored and respected, even when you cannot express them yourself.

1. Control over medical decisions and ensures autonomy—A living will enables you to specify your medical treatment preferences in the event you are unable to communicate. This ensures your wishes are respected and allows healthcare providers to understand your beliefs clearly, enabling them to respond more quickly and accurately to your care needs.
2. Reduces Family Stress—Having a plan in place prevents your loved ones from having to make tough medical decisions on your behalf during a very emotional time. In addition, it can help avoid conflict between family members who may have different opinions about your care.
3. Health Care Cost Reduction—Informing your medical team and loved ones of your preferred medical treatments takes all the guesswork out of the process. By expressing what you want and do not want, costly treatments that go against your wishes can be avoided, such as long-term life support, costly surgeries, or expensive medications.
4. Motivates Estate Planning—A Living will jump-starts your ability to start working on your overall estate plan. It allows you to start thinking about your legacy sooner rather than later. It puts you and your family in a better position to cope with the loss of a loved one.

To better understand how a living will works, it’s essential to consider some of the decisions you can make within the document, requiring careful thought and potentially tough choices.

Here are examples of what can be included in your living will:

• Dialysis: This treatment assists the body in removing waste in the event of kidney failure.
• Tube Feeding: This method is used when you are unable to eat or drink on your own.
• Medications: You can specify which medications you are willing or not to take.
• Comfort Care: This involves measures to keep you comfortable and manage pain, also known as Palliative care.
• Organ or Tissue Donation: Indicate if you are willing or not willing to donate your organs or tissues upon your death.

Older generations often feel more inclined to prepare for their future because they spend more time thinking about their families and understand that life becomes shorter as they age. In contrast, younger individuals typically focus on their careers and may not prioritize these concerns. Regardless of age, preparing a living will sooner rather than later is essential. Accidents and illnesses can occur at any time, and creating a living will is relatively simple and affordable. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact us today.

References:

https://trustandwill.com/learn/create-a-living-will