What is an Advance Directive for Health Care (Living Will)?
An Advance Directive for Health Care is a written legal document which allows you to instruct your attending physician whether or not you wish to be given life-sustaining treatments and artificially administered nutrition (food) and hydration (water) and to give other medical directions that impact the end of life. Its purpose is to recognize your right to control some aspects of your medical care and treatment primarily including the right to decline medical treatment or direct that it be withdrawn even if death ensues. An Advance Directive for Health Care may include a living will, the appointment of a health care proxy (a proxy is a person authorized to act for another) and directions for organ donation. Q: Who can sign an Advance Directive for Health Care? A: Any person of sound mind who is 18 or older. Q: Does the signing of an Advance Directive require witnesses and a notary public? A: An Advance Directive must be signed before two witnesses who are 18 or older. The witnesses can
