MAIN Health Hospice Care, Living Wills & Advance Directives

Technological advances in medicine have helped extend people's lives far beyond what was unthinkable only half a century ago. Today, topics like living wills, or advance directives, are fast becoming the subject of discussions everywhere from professional symposiums to the family dinner table.

What is a living will? In effect, it is a legal document that a person signs to direct their own end-of-life care. A living will, or "advance directive", provides for specific instructions about the kind of treatment they might receive before they get sick, especially if an individual is found to be suffering from an incurable condition or terminal disease.

Not only does the living will guide physicians (who often feel they are ethically bound to to prolong life at any cost), but it also eases the burden on family members and next of kin for making any final decisions on the individual's behalf.

Illinois attorney Louis Kutner was the first in 1969 to propose a legally binding document that gave people more control over end-of-life treatment dubbed "the living will". By 2005, controversial cases like the one surrounding Terri Schiavo in the U.S. led to increased awareness of quality of life issues and end of life care as never before.

also see in the Legal Blog: How Create a Living Will

By 2007, 41% of Americans had a living will.

Two years later, Barack Obama became the first United States President to announce that he had arranged for a living will for both he and his wife, Michelle, and encouraged all Americans to follow his example, saying "we hope we don't have to use it for a long time, but I think it's something that is sensible."

The announcement followed heated controversy over new health health care legislation that included proposed Medicare payments that would help counsel patients regarding living wills and advance directives.

To date, there is no federal law governing the wording of advance directives, but all US states have forms and instructions on how to create a living will variously called "advance directive," "living will" or "health care proxy" forms.

More about living wills and advance directives around the Web:

Find out more at top sites that address the subject with news stories, facts, and more information on how living wills help people control their own care and have their personal wishes carried out right up until the end of life ....

Advance Directives and Do Not Resuscitate Orders - Good, clear overview of how to write an advance directive in the event of permanent unconsciousness or terminal illness, what to discuss with your doctors and family beforehand, related discussions on living wills and power of attorney.

Consumer's Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning - Comprehensive information from the American Bar Association presenting the hard facts and considerations with helpful Q&A worksheets, a guide to initiating a potentially difficult conversation with family members, advice for caretakers and health care proxies, and related resources.

AARP Life Answers :: End of Life - One-stop browsing for facts and information on issues including hospice care, palliative care and pain management, advance directives, wills and estates, plus related Web resources for consumers and professionals.

MedlinePlus: Hospice Care - Excellent source of updated news, information, and links to resources and feature articles on living wills, advance directives, and hospice care.

Hospice and Home Care - Resources, information, audio presentations, and links to palliative care and pain management, eldercare, grief and bereavement, searchable international hospice directory, online bookstore, free newsletter.

also see -> Wills & Estates | Elder Law

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