Living Will Attorneys in White Plains

Helping Clients Prepare for End-of-Life Care

No matter what age you are, there may come a time when you fall seriously ill and cannot communicate with your family members. If you are incapacitated and cannot dictate your medical wishes, your family members may be forced to make medical decisions on your behalf, leading to stress and confusion. By creating a living will, you can avoid this stress and ensure your wishes are respected no matter what state you are in.

Living wills are an essential part of an advance healthcare directive, the legal documents that dictate your healthcare decisions. Consulting with an estate planning lawyer is the best way to ensure these documents are legally binding and valid. Our team at the Law Offices of Patricia G. Micek PLLC, would be happy to review your medical wishes and create a living will on your behalf. To talk to a living wills lawyer on our team and learn more about our services, contact our law firm today at 914-533-1756.

What is a Living Will?

A living will is a legal document that notes how you would like to be treated medically in the event you cannot advocate for yourself. In many cases, living wills are used by doctors in emergency situations, like after an accident or if you fall critically ill. You can use a living will to note medical treatments you consent to or do not consent to, plus the conditions under which each choice applies.

A living will is different from a last will and testament, most commonly known as a will. A will notes what you would like to do with your assets after you pass, plus assigns legal guardians to minor children and pets. Living wills contain instructions for your medical treatment while you are still alive. After you pass away, a living will is no longer in effect.

What End-of-Life Care Decisions Should You Include in a Living Will?

You can use a living will to note your preferences for any life-saving medical treatments. If you have a healthcare proxy or someone who is assigned to make medical decisions on your behalf, talk to them about your decisions.

Below are just some of the medical treatments you can note in a living will:

• Ventilators: If you are not able to breathe on your own, doctors can use a ventilator to breathe manually for you. Ventilators can be uncomfortable and can cause damage to your throat.
• CPR: CPR is a life-saving procedure used to manually restore your heartbeat if it stops beating. The force of CPR is enough that it can potentially break your ribs.
• Pacemakers and ICDs: Pacemakers are used to help your heart beat regularly. If you are near death, a pacemaker may not be adequate, and an ICD can be used to shock your heart back to a normal rhythm.
• Artificial nutrition: If you are unable to eat or drink, doctors can use feeding tubes and IVs to deliver nutrition and hydration.

How Do You Prepare a Living Will?

Before preparing a living will, meeting with an experienced estate plan attorney is essential. Our team can help you create a legal document that notes all of your medical wishes.
Preparing a living will often involves the following steps:

• Reflecting on your medical wishes. Only you can determine what is important when it comes to end-of-life care. Consider what matters most to you as you decide which medical procedures to include in your living will.
• Talking to your doctor. Your doctor can help you decide which medical procedures to consent to based on your medical history.
• Completing your living will form. With help from our team, you can fill out a living will easily that can then be given to healthcare providers in the future.
•  Updating your living will. As your medical needs change, your living will changes, too. Our team will help you update your living will at any point.

Should I Consult an Estate Planning Lawyer?

As we age, end-of-life care becomes a concern for many of us. Creating a living will is the best way to ensure your medical wishes are respected even if you are unable to speak to medical professionals. Our team at the Law Offices of Patricia G. Micek PLLC, would be happy to help you create a legal living will noting all of your medical preferences. Call our law office today at 914-533-1756 for more information.