Living Will

A living will, an advance directive, allows you to document your wishes concerning end-of-life medical treatments. Living wills discuss a person's feelings about life-sustaining care or treatments.

A living will is one type of advance directive. An advance directive is a document giving direction to health care providers about treatment choices. There are two types of advance directives, living wills and health care power of attorneys (health care proxy form). The difference between a living will and health care power of attorney:

• A living will is a written statement of a person's health care and medical wishes. It does not appoint another person to make health care or other medical decisions.
• A health care power of attorney appoints someone, a proxy (thus the name health care proxy), and empowers them to make all medical and health care decisions.

A living will provides health care providers a guideline for care and treatment when a person is unable to participate in decisions regarding their health care.

Provide a copy of your living will to your doctor, hospital and appropriate family members. A living will is not a replacement for and should not be incorporated into a last will and testament. 

A living will legal form is specific to medical and health care decisions only. For financial decisions, consider a general power of attorney.

Living Will Forms