Importance of Having an Attorney to Help with Your Healthcare Directive

If you search online for “health care directive” or “living will,” you will likely find many online form banks that will charge you a small amount of money to use their form to create one of these legal documents. While it is better to have something than nothing, these online forms will rarely help you create the type of advance directive that you really need to address your unique situation.

Instead, it is a good idea to work with an attorney to help you create a health care directive or living will. Although the process may be more expensive or take longer, your end result will be a lot clearer and easier for your loved ones to use. Your loved ones will thank you for creating a specific plan that is easy for them to understand—and it is much more likely that your wishes are carried out.

What is a Health Care Directive or Living Will?

A health care directive sets out a variety of instructions for your loved ones and health care providers. It addresses how you want your future medical care to be conducted if you cannot express your medical wishes for any reason.

It will address some of these very important questions:

Do you want life-sustaining medical procedures?
Would you like to be on a ventilator if you can no longer breathe on your own?
Who will make medical care decisions for you?
Do you want pain medications while you are incapacitated?
Do you want to be fed via a tube?
Do you want to donate your organs and tissues after you pass?

These issues are all tough to address. But it is even harder for your loved ones to guess what you would have wanted if you did not communicate your wishes to them ahead of time.

Working with a Lawyer to Create a Health Care Directive

You need to consider a wide variety of factors as you create your health care directive. An attorney can help you through this process and ensure that the document you create is legally binding—so your wishes are carried out efficiently, rather than challenged in a difficult time for your loved ones.

At the Law Offices of Dan Kellogg, we can help you create your health care directive, a health care power of attorney, and a lot more. These documents are an integral part of your overall estate planning package. Contact our team to learn more or set up an appointment.