Four Things to Consider Including in a Virginia Living Will
Do you have specific intentions about the medical care you do or don’t want at some point in your life? What if you’re not in the condition to be able to articulate these concerns for yourself?
A Virginia living will is a medical directive that allows you to explain your wishes about what kinds of medical treatment you do or do not want. There are four major issues addressed in most living wills:
- Whether you want artificial nutrition or hydration provided to you
- Whether you want life-prolonging procedures used for you
- Whether you wish to make any anatomical gifts with your body
- What kind of pain management you’d like to receive if you have a terminal illness
Your answers to those questions can be personalized to your religious, moral, or other kinds of beliefs. Your loved ones may not remember, may not be in the area, or may disagree about these issues if you don’t document them in your Virginia living will. The work you do in advance can greatly reduce conflict during this time and ensure that you’re only receiving the care you wanted based on your medical condition. Since this document has such important implications for your medical care, you should create it under the guidance of a local estate lawyer.
Laying out your ground rules and expectations regarding your medical care if you become unable to speak for yourself is extremely important. Not only does this ensure that your wishes are followed, but it relieves stress on your loved ones during a very challenging time. Working with an experience Virginia Beach estate planning lawyer is strongly recommended to make sure that you have considered all possible aspects of creating a living will and that you’re finished document reflects your needs and wishes.
