Living will

A living will is a written, legal paper, called a document, that includes details about the medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive. It's used when you are unable to decide yourself. It also includes your choices for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation.

In deciding your wishes, think about your values. For example, think about how important it is to you to be independent and self-sufficient. Think about what situations might make you feel like your life is not worth living. Would you want treatment to extend your life in any situation or in all situations? Would you want treatment only if a cure is possible?

You should list many possible end-of-life care decisions in your living will. Talk to your healthcare professional about any questions you may have about the following medical decisions:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR restarts the heart when it has stopped beating. Decide if and when you would want to be revived by CPR or by a device that sends an electric shock to shock the heart.
• Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). A pacemaker keeps your heart beating steadily, while an ICD shocks your heart if it beats irregularly. If you have one of these devices, decide when you would want it to be turned off.
• Mechanical ventilation. A machine that helps you breathe is called a mechanical ventilator. It takes over your breathing if you're unable to breathe on your own. Think about if, when and for how long you would want a medical team to place you on a machine to help you breathe.
• Tube feeding. Tube feeding gives nutrients and fluids to the body through a tube inserted in a vein or in the stomach. Decide if, when and for how long you would want a medical team to feed you in this way.
• Dialysis. This process removes waste from the blood and manages fluid levels if the kidneys no longer work. Decide if, when and for how long you would want to receive this treatment.
• Antibiotics or antiviral medications. Healthcare professionals can use these medicines to treat many infections. Think about if you were near the end of life. Would you want a medical team to treat infections with many medicines, or would you rather let infections run their course?
• Comfort care, also called palliative care. Comfort care includes many treatments that a medical team may use to keep you comfortable and manage pain while following your other treatment wishes. Treatment wishes may include choosing to die at home, getting pain medicines or being fed ice chips to soothe mouth dryness. It also may include avoiding invasive tests or treatments.
• Organ and tissue donations. You can note if you plan to donate organs or tissues in your living will. If the medical team removes the organs for donation, they will keep you on treatment that will keep you alive, called life-sustaining treatment, for a brief time until the team has removed the organs. To avoid any confusion from your healthcare agent, you may want to state in your living will that you understand the need for this short-term treatment.
• Donating your body. You can state if you want to donate your body to scientific study. Call a local medical school, university or donation program for information on how to register for a planned donation for research.