No one ever expects to be in a serious accident, but it is important to always make sure that you plan for the unexpected. That’s why you purchase insurance policies, and it’s the same reason why you should have a living will.
When you’re done acquiring a life insurance policy from the experts here at Vargas and Vargas, take the time to write up a living will. In the rare event that you are injured and unable to communicate your health care wishes to your doctors and loved ones, this document will legally outline explicit instructions regarding your wishes.
Do you have a living will? Here are a few suggestions of what should be included in your living will or health care directive:
Designation of a health care proxy – Your living will is a guideline in the event that you are permanently unconscious. It will not be able to make your wishes clear in every potential situation. Because of this, you will need to appoint a health care proxy, a person that will interpret your health care directive and make decisions on your behalf. In order to ensure that this person is aware of your intentions, you should speak with them about your wishes while you are healthy. It may be a difficult conversation, but it could mean a world of difference in the long run.
The point at which care should be discontinued – In some cases, people wish to have certain treatments be administered, but only while improvement is possible. It is helpful to health care professionals and families if there is express statement of the period of time that these can be administered if no improvement is shown. For example, you may wish to allow a feeding tube in the initial stages of treatment, but wish to discontinue its use if no improvement is shown in your condition.
Desired palliative care measures – You should think about and express the pain relieving measures that should be taken if you do not wish to accept life-prolonging treatments. This list can include medicines, or even whether or not you would like to be moved from the hospital into the comfort of your own home.
Treatments to exclude – If there are any types of treatment that you do not wish to have, make sure that these are stated in your living will. Common items on this list include a ventilator, intravenous feeding tube, blood transfusion, and dialysis, to name a few.
If you have any questions about medical treatments while creating your living will, you can talk to your doctor. He or she will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the benefits and drawbacks of medical treatments, and can give you resources that could help to inform you while you make these very important decisions.
Once your living will has been created, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency for a life or health insurance review. We will help to ensure that you have the right amount of coverage to take care of your final expenses, and more. It’s free and easy to get an insurance review for any of your policies – just call our agency at 617-298-0655. We are always happy to help you evaluate your insurance needs, and to give out free quotes.
