What Is A Living Will?
A living will, sometimes referred to as an "advanced health care directive," is the instrument through which you inform your family and health care givers of your wishes with respect to your care if you are unable to do so yourself. These wishes often include directives of what health care providers should do or should not do under various circumstances.
In New Jersey, your Living Will may be a combination of advanced health care directives and medical decision power of attorney. For example, Katkocin Law Office can help you set forth in one instrument your specific wishes about medical treatments, pain medications, and other procedures that you may or may not wish, and you also can appoint an agent to act on your behalf if necessary or appropriate. The advanced directives and agent appointment are to take place only if you are unable to communicate your desires yourself. Of course, if you would prefer to have separate advanced directives and a medical decision power of attorney, Katkocin Law office can prepare those instruments as well.
Living Wills are not only for those persons facing end-of-life decisions. Anyone can benefit from a properly drafted and carefully considered Living Will in the event of serious illness or accident. You should prepare your Living Will when you have the time to reflect and think about your true wishes.
Why Prepare A Living Will?
The preparation of your Living Will helps both you and your loved ones. The process requires you to consider carefully what you want if you have a medical condition that cannot be cured and will result in your death, or are irreversibly unconscious.
For example, under such circumstances would you want to receive tube feeding or other technical or mechanical treatments? Your loved ones benefit because you will have set forth clearly your wishes and desires and thereby not left them to speculate about what you want or agonize over making decisions without guidance from you.
For A Lawyer With More Than 30 Years Experience, Call Me
Call Katkocin Law Office in Mt. Laurel, Burlington County, at (609) 953-2000 to request a consultation about your Living Will. Another option is to contact me through email.