A living will is a set of written instructions that informs your healthcare providers and family of the type and extent of medical care you want to receive if you become incapacitated. The first living will was created in 1969 to avoid a slow, painful death. State laws dictate the requirements for a valid living will, such as being signed by the patient in front of two witnesses, one of whom cannot be related to the patient. The author recommends creating a living will to ensure your medical wishes are followed and to relieve loved ones of deciding on care without guidance. While an attorney is not needed, Florida has an approved online form available.
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Should I Have a Living Will?
1. Should
 I
 Have
 a
 Living
 Will?
Â
By
 Heather
 Lueke
 Smith,
 Esq.
Â
www.lawofficeofheathersmith.com
Â
Â
Also
 known
 as
 an
 Advance
 Health
 Care
 Directive,
 a
 Living
 Will
 is
 a
 set
 of
 written
Â
instructions
 to
 your
 health
 care
 providers
 and
 loved
 ones
 letting
 them
 know
 how
Â
much
 and
 what
 kind
 of
 medical
 care
 you
 want
 if
 you
 become
 incapacitated
 and
 can
Â
no
 longer
 express
 your
 wishes.
Â
 The
 first
 Living
 Will
 was
 drafted
 in
 1969
 by
 an
Â
attorney
 named
 Luis
 Kutner,
 who
 was
 inspired
 by
 a
 friendâs
 âslow,
 painful
 death.â
Â
Â
Each
 state
 has
 its
 own
 requirements
 for
 this
 document.
Â
 In
 Florida,
 Section
 765.302
Â
of
 the
 state
 statutes
 sets
 out
 the
 elements
 of
 a
 valid
 Living
 Will:
Â
Â
⢠The
 person
 making
 the
 Living
 Will,
 called
 the
 âprincipal,â
 must
 be
 a
Â
competent
 adult
Â
⢠It
 sets
 out
 whether
 the
 principal
 wants
 life-Ââprolonging
 procedures
 to
 be
Â
provided,
 withheld
 or
 withdrawn
 if
 he
 or
 she
 has
 a
 terminal
 condition,
 end-Ââ
state
 condition,
 or
 is
 in
 a
 persistent
 vegetative
 state.
Â
⢠It
 must
 be
 signed
 by
 the
 principal
 in
 the
 presence
 of
 two
 witnesses.
Â
⢠These
 two
 witnesses
 must
 also
 sign
 the
 document
Â
⢠One
 of
 the
 witnesses
 cannot
 be
 the
 spouse
 or
 blood
 relative
 of
 the
 principal
Â
⢠If
 the
 principal
 is
 physically
 unable
 to
 sign
 it,
 one
 of
 the
 witnesses
 may
 sign
Â
for
 the
 principal,
 in
 his
 presence
 and
 at
 his
 direction.
Â
Â
Â
I
 recommend
 that
 you
 make
 a
 Living
 Will
 to
 protect
 both
 yourself
 and
 your
 loved
Â
ones.
Â
 A
 Living
 Will
 protects
 you
 because
 it
 makes
 sure
 that
 you
 receive
 exactly
 the
Â
kind
 of
 medical
 care
 you
 want,
 even
 when
 you
 cannot
 speak
 for
 yourself.
 A
 Living
Â
Will
 also
 protects
 your
 loved
 ones
 from
 having
 to
 make
 the
 agonizing
 decision
 of
Â
whether
 to
 continue
 your
 medical
 care
 when
 the
 doctors
 advise
 that
 there
 is
 no
Â
hope
 of
 recovery.
Â
 Many
 families,
 some
 quite
 publicly,
 have
 been
 torn
 apart
 by
Â
disagreements
 related
 to
 these
 medical
 decisions.
Â
 Having
 a
 Living
 Will
 relieves
 your
Â
family
 of
 this
 burden.
Â
Â
You
 need
 not
 hire
 an
 attorney
 to
 make
 a
 Living
 Will.
Â
 The
 Supreme
 Court
 of
 Florida
Â
has
 approved
 a
 form,
 which
 you
 can
 find
 at:
Â
http://preview.tinyurl.com/285ds5m.
Â
 However,
 if
 you
 do
 wish
 to
 talk
 to
 an
Â
attorney
 about
 a
 Living
 Will,
 or
 any
 other
 estate
 planning
 issue,
 please
 contact
 me
 at
Â
www.thelawofficeofheathersmith.com.
Â
Â
Â
Â