• CALL US +1 844-790-5667
  • EMPLOYERS
  • INDIVIDUALS
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • RESOURCES
  • ABOUT
    • OUR TEAM
    • MEDIA
    • CAREERS
    • CONTACT US
  • MEMBER SIGN IN

Call us today! 1-844-790-5667

Cariloop Cariloop Cariloop Cariloop
  • EMPLOYERS
  • INDIVIDUALS
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • RESOURCES
  • ABOUT
    • OUR TEAM
    • MEDIA
    • CAREERS
    • CONTACT US
  • SIGN IN

Living Will 101: What it is and Why You Need One

Mar 16, 2018 | Posted by Cariloop | Caregiving Tips, Legal Tips, Resource Center |

So what is a living will, and why have one?living will

The concept is fairly simple: A living will documents your medical wishes so that your doctor knows what to do should you become unable to communicate your desires for treatment. Having your medical wishes documented spares your loved ones from being forced to make difficult medical decisions, which is the most common reason for filling out a living will—you make the decisions for your family in advance.

If you have any questions about wills, or any related subject, contact us and one of our Healthcare Coaches would love to walk you through it.

“Living will” is not actually a legal term; it is a catch-all phrase which refers to the various documents each state uses for storing a patient’s medical wishes (eg. Texas calls it a Directive to Physicians while other states call it a Health Care Directive). Regardless, “living will” is a widely used and accepted term. To find the forms that your state uses, click here.

Similarly, “life support” is not a legal term. Life support refers to a variety of specific medical treatments. So, your living will cannot simply say that you do or do not want “life support”—more specific answers are required. Here are some examples of situations in which a living will would come into play:

 

You’ve had a stroke: You cannot communicate, you are not responsive to stimuli or you are unable to answer questions at all. Despite the loss of these cognitive functions, your heart continues to beat normally, and could do so indefinitely. Would you want to receive artificial hydration and nutrition to keep your body functioning? This would involve implanting a tube for feeding. Would you want that?

You have dementia: Your dementia has progressed and your cognitive function has deteriorated to the point that you can no longer answer questions logically. You recognize neither the people around you nor your physical surroundings. Next, you develop breathing problems. Would you want to be put on a ventilator (a machine that breathes for you)? For how long?

 

Important Details

Your living will only comes into play if you cannot communicate. If you are still able to talk, blink your eyes, nod, shake your head or communicate your desires in any way, then you still get to choose what you want.

What happens if you don’t have a living will? Doctors will look to your available next of kin for instructions. This could be your spouse, your children or a sibling. Your next of kin would then be responsible for deciding whether to start or continue specific treatments. This often leads to family disagreements at a difficult time when emotions are running high. A living will can relieve your family of that responsibility.

If you are not sure what specific treatments or procedures you want, then you can leave those decisions to your loved ones. But, leaving decisions to your loved ones does not negate the importance of having a conversation with your family about how you feel about “life support” in general. (You can also designate a specific family member to make medical decisions via a Medical Power of Attorney, which is different from a living will.) Also, a living will can be revoked at any time if you change your mind.

Living wills are easily accessible, are usually simple to complete and do not require the presence of an attorney. If you are at a facility and need living will forms, ask to see a social worker or case manager. Many facilities will provide the forms at admission.

 

By Julie Coats, LBSW, CCM

 

If you are caring for a loved one and need some help figuring out the next step, a Cariloop Healthcare Coach would love to walk you and your family through whatever you may be dealing with. Become a member or call 1-844-790-5667 to get started.

 

Check out these related articles:

–  Tips for Discussing Living Wills With Family

–  Top 3 Reasons to Get Long Term Care Insurance

–  The Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Wills

 

3
Share

6 Comments

Leave your reply.
  • Terri Bowlin
    · Reply

    February 7, 2017 at 5:34 AM

    Making your own will is important, as you never know what’s going to happen in future. I have a friend whose mother was living perfectly until she fell into dementia. A time came when she wasn’t able to remember her family member’s name. Then my friend moved her to a senior care assisted living facility where she got an authorized legal living will with the signature of her family members. Now she is very much satisfied that someone will be there for her in hard times and will help her in executing the will.

  • Alexandria Martinez
    · Reply

    June 6, 2018 at 8:52 PM

    I was talking to my good friend the other day about her interest in researching living wills for a loved one. She needs some help to better understand this. It would help her a lot to know that her loved one can leave up specific treatments up to their loved ones.

    • Chelsie Mackey
      · Reply

      June 6, 2018 at 9:03 PM

      Hi Alexandria. The Cariloop Team would love to help walk your friend through the details of living wills. Let her know we are here to help! Thanks for your comment!

  • David Johnson
    · Reply

    August 15, 2019 at 3:57 PM

    That’s really interesting that a living will is there if you become unable to communicate what you need. I’m getting older and I have some friends who are as well. We want to make sure that our wishes are followed through with should anything happen to incapacitate us. I’ll have to look further into living wills.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

SEARCH RESOURCES

Find us on

Categories

  • Adult Day Services (3)
  • Assisted Living (11)
  • Blast from the Past (2)
  • Caregiving Tips (54)
  • Finances (9)
  • Generations (4)
  • Geriatric Care (11)
  • Health and Wellness (43)
  • Health Technology (4)
  • Home Health (7)
  • Hospice (2)
  • Independent Living (7)
  • Media (85)
  • Medicare/Medicaid (7)
  • Memory Care (13)
  • Nursing Homes (4)
  • Pediatrics (4)
    • Infant (2)
  • Residential Care Homes (4)
  • Resource Center (98)
    • Care Facilities (12)
    • Caregiver Health (14)
    • Family Dynamics (11)
    • Health Transitions (15)
    • Healthy Aging (15)
    • In-Home Care (5)
    • Legal Tips (8)
    • Managing Finances (6)
    • Medical Condition(s) (25)
      • Alzheimer's (6)
      • Anxiety and Depression (4)
      • Arthritis (3)
      • Breast Cancer (1)
      • Cancer (1)
      • Dementia (12)
      • Heart Disease (2)
      • Parkinson's (1)
      • Stroke (1)
    • Medication Management (5)
    • Public Assistance (9)
  • Skilled Nursing (3)
  • Social Health (13)
  • Special Series (10)
  • Testimonial (3)

Why does Cariloop exist?

Our team at Cariloop firmly believes that no one should ever have to go through caregiving alone. In an effort to deliver on this promise, Cariloop is arming families with the world’s first human-powered Caregiver Support Platform. Creating a seamless balance of touch and tech, Cariloop’s platform combines healthcare coaching services and cloud-based tools that help families plan for and manage their caregiving journey.

Connect with us

Contact Info

  • Cariloop, Inc.
  • 4848 Lemmon Ave. #100-760 Dallas, TX 75219
  • 844-790-5667
  • cariloop.com

In the media

  • Cariloop Converts to a Public Benefit Corporation to maximize positive impact on working caregivers, parents and families
    Cariloop Converts to a Public Benefit Corporation to maximize positive impact on working caregivers, parents and families
  • Cariloop Selected as Winning Company for Powderkeg’s 2020 National Tech Culture Awards
    Cariloop Selected as Winning Company for Powderkeg’s 2020 National Tech Culture Awards
  • Dallas Business Journal Recognizes Cariloop as 2020 Best Place to Work
    Dallas Business Journal Recognizes Cariloop as 2020 Best Place to Work

© 2021 — Cariloop, Inc.

  • CONTACT US
  • MEDIA
  • CAREERS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • [+]