What is a living will?

A living will is a legal document that allows you to make your wishes known about end-of-life medical care in the event of an illness or accident that renders you unable to make decisions for yourself. In Florida, a living will is called an advance directive. The living will allows you to dictate the type of medical care that you wish to receive if you become incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself. You can list any instructions you have concerning artificial life support, such as if you would want to receive life-prolonging treatments or be taken off of a respirator. You can also specify if you would want to donate any organs or receive organ transplants if you become terminally ill. In addition, a living will allows you to appoint someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. This person is referred to as your healthcare proxy, and they will be legally responsible for making any decisions regarding your health care. It is important to choose someone you trust to make these decisions in accordance with your wishes. It is important to have an advance directive such as a living will in place as it enables you to make your preferences known about end-of-life care. In Florida, you need to be 18 or older and of sound mind to create a living will.

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