A living will is a document that explains whether or not you want to be kept on life support if you become terminally ill and will die shortly without life support, or fall into a persistent vegetative state. A living will, also called a directive to physicians or advance directive, is a document that lets people state their wishes for end-of-life medical care, in case they become unable to communicate their decisions. Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated October 07, 2019. Definition of living will, with etymology, pronunciation (phonetic and audio), synonyms, antonyms, derived terms and more about the word living will. Living wills do not take effect until the designator is suffering from a terminal illness or is permanently unconscious with no hope of recovery. But living wills and living trusts serve two entirely different purposes. You can also use a living will to appoint a ‘health attorney’ to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. A living will, despite its name, isn't at all like the wills that people use to leave property at their death. A living trust covers three phases of your life, while a living will only cover what happens if you're incapacitated. There are two fundamental documents that need to be executed during your life to ensure that you receive the kind of healthcare you want if you are ever incapacitated. A living will, a durable power of attorney for finances, and a durable power of attorney for health care typically appear as three separate documents. living will synonyms, living will pronunciation, living will translation, English dictionary definition of living will. Many people confuse living wills with living trusts because they're both estate planning options, and they sound so much alike. It also addresses other important questions, detailing your preferences for tube feeding, artificial hydration, and pain medication in certain situations. Define living will. These documents establish who should make decisions and provide them guidance on how you would like those decisions made. The Definition of Power of Attorney, Living Will and Advance Directives. Having all three ensures the meeting of your health and financial needs in the event of your incapacitation. Your living will (health care declaration) is where to write out what you do and do not want in terms of medical care if you are unable to speak for yourself. Such conditions must usually be verified by another physician, and a living will exempts the doctor(s) making the choice to “pull the plug” from all liability. , 2019 or is permanently unconscious with no hope of recovery at death... Attorney ’ to make decisions and provide them guidance on how you would like those decisions.! 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