Creating A Living Will In Tampa: Benefits And What To Include
While it may not be pleasant to contemplate end-of-life issues, the fact is that unexpected injuries and illnesses do happen. Creating a living will in advance helps to convey your wishes and spares your family from having to make painful decisions on your behalf or to guess what you might have wanted. Our Tampa estate planning attorney explains more about the benefits of living wills and provisions to include in yours.
The Benefits Of A Tampa Living Will
A Florida Living will is one of several estate planning documents that address what would happen in the event a serious illness or accidental injury leaves you incapacitated and unable to communicate on your own. It clarifies, in writing, important end-of-life issues, such as the types of medical care you want and potentially life-sustaining interventions.
In a situation where you are sure to make a recovery, most people would want various types of treatments to be administered. However, the situation is more complex when there is little hope, and they are used mainly to artificially sustain life. Some of the benefits of including a living will in your estate plan include:
- Allows you to thoughtfully consider in advance what you want, factoring in how you feel about end-of-life issues and how important quality of life is to you;
- Empowers you to maintain your dignity towards the end of life and prevents being dependent on artificial means;
- Communicates your feelings to your medical providers, allowing for greater control over the situation;
- Communicates your final wishes to your family and prevents them from being put in a position of having to make major decisions during an already difficult time.
What To Include In Your Living Will
Under the Florida Statutes, any competent adult may create a living will detailing their wishes regarding the provision, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures in the event they become terminally ill, severely injured, or are otherwise in a permanent vegetative state. When creating this document, it is important to include the following:
- The date it was drafted and the fact that you were in sound mind at the time;
- When it is supposed to go into effect, such as if your heart stops beating, you are unable to breathe without help, or your body is otherwise not capable of sustaining life on its own;
- Specific medical tools, such as ventilators and feeding tubes, that you may want or not want used;
- Provisions designating someone you trust as health care power of attorney, who can act as your spokesperson in dealing with doctors;
- Your desires regarding pain management and other types of palliative or comfort care;
- Your wishes regarding organ donation.
Request A Consultation With Our Tampa Estate Planning Attorney
Like other estate planning documents, a living will help to protect you and your loved ones. To find out more about your options, request a consultation with Strategic Counsel Law Group, L.C. Call or contact our experienced Tampa estate planning attorney online today.
Sources:
ahca.myflorida.com/content/download/10476/file/TabC1-HospiceForms.pdf
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0765/Sections/0765.302.html#:~:text=(1)%20Any%20competent%20adult%20may,in%20a%20persistent%20vegetative%20state
