It is human nature to avoid topics that make us uneasy and the words “living will” tend to make many individuals uncomfortable. Read on for a quick overview of what a living will is, and if you need one, or not.
A living will is a document that lets you decide whether or not to be kept on artificial life support. In Cincinnati Ohio, a living will provides direction to your physician about end-of-life decisions you have made in case you are unable to express decisions for yourself. A living will simply states that you desire to die a natural death and that you do not want extraordinary medical treatment if, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, there is no reasonable hope of recovery.
What happens if you don’t have a living will? As you probably know, today’s life support systems can keep a person alive for years, even if the brain is no longer functioning. Most people would not want that for themselves. And without that living will, providing clear direction on what you want, the burden would likely shift to your loved ones to make end-of-life decisions on your behalf.
Some additional thoughts on living wills in Cincinnati, Ohio include: now is the time, while you’re healthy and competent, to tell your doctor that you do not wish to have extraordinary means used to keep you alive. By executing a living will, you are protecting your family from a potentially stressful situation as mentioned above … making that decision on your behalf. And while the choice to stop life support should never be a financial one, the fact is that it costs a tremendous amount of money each day a patient is on life support. If you have already made your wishes known, you can avoid piling up expensive hospital bills that your estate will have to pay. Last, please understand, that simply discussing your beliefs and thoughts about end-of-life medical care with friends and family does not mean your wishes will be carried out. Without a legal document, your wishes are not binding.
Executing a living will in Cincinnati Ohio can be done in just a few minutes with an estate planning attorney. By taking that step you know you’ve saved your loved ones the anguish of making that decision on your behalf and/or spending thousands of dollars on unwanted life support. It’s the smart and loving thing to do. If you don’t currently have a living will I strongly encourage you to take steps to correct that situation – none of us knows when tragedy will strike. For more information on living wills and other legal documents visit my website www.davidlefton.com or call me at 513-721-1350 to set up an appointment to execute your living will.