How is a Designation of Health Care Surrogate different from a Living Will?
A Living Will is a declaration to physicians that expresses your wishes regarding life-sustaining procedures or non-orally ingested nutrition and hydration if you have a terminal illness, an end-stage disease or if you are in a persistent vegetative state. You may direct that such life-sustaining procedures be withheld or withdrawn, or you may direct that they be used to sustain your life. A Designation of Health Care Surrogate appoints an agent to make most decisions related to your health care. If you specifically grant the power, your agent can decide to withhold or withdraw non-orally ingested nutritional support and fluid maintenance, admit you to a nursing home or community-based residential facility, and make other health care decisions.
