Living Wills

If you become terminally ill and incompetent (unable to communicate to your health care provider), would you want to receive medical care or treatment which will only serve to prolong the process of your dying?

This is a question that most of us have thought about, and we may have even talked to our family or friends about our wishes in the event of such a tragic medical condition.  But have we taken the time to put our wishes in writing so that when the medical emergency occurs, our family, friends and medical providers will know our wishes?

The Pennsylvania Statute provides us with the following sample living will.  Consider the following Living Will and the option you would select under the Health Care Agent’s Instructions section, but make sure that you coordinate this living will with your other financial and medical power of attorney.

HEALTH CARE TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS IN THE EVENT OF END-STAGE MEDICAL CONDITION OR PERMANENT UNCONSCIOUSNESS (LIVING WILL).  If I have an end-stage medical condition (which will result in my death, despite the introduction or continuation of medical treatment) or am permanently unconscious such as an irreversible coma or an irreversible vegetative state and there is no realistic hope of significant recovery, then all of the following apply:

1. I direct that I be given health care treatment to relieve pain and provide comfort even if such treatment might shorten my life, suppress my appetite or my breathing, or be habit forming.
2. I direct that all life prolonging procedures be withheld or withdrawn.
3. I specifically do not want any of the following as life prolonging procedures:

a.    Heart-Lung Resuscitation (CPR)            
b.    Mechanical Ventilator (Breathing Machine)    
c.    Dialysis (Kidney Machine)            
d.    Surgery                        
e.    Chemotherapy                    
f.    Radiation Treatment                
g.    Antibiotics                  

4.  I do not want nutrition (food) or hydration (water) medically supplied by a tube into my nose, stomach, intestine, arteries, or veins.

Health Care Agent’s Instructions:  I recognize that it is impossible for me at this time to anticipate all of the contingencies that could develop regarding medical treatment.  In communicating a health care choice if I have an end-stage medical condition I direct:
__________    My agent must follow my instructions set forth above.
OR
__________    The instructions set forth above are only guidance.  My agent shall have the final say and may override any of my instructions.  If I do not have an agent, the instructions set forth above shall be followed.