Making End of Life Decisions

Making End of Life Decisions

Whenever I talk to people about creating a living will (which outlines important health care decisions that you want – and, not to be confused with a Last Will and Testament, which specifies who you want to inherit your assets and who will administer your estate at your death), the name Terri Schiavo usually comes up.

Her situation is the perfect example of why people need to think about end of life decisions, and why you are never too young to do so once you become an adult.  What happens if you do not designate someone to make those decisions for you?  Just like with Terri Schiavo, an incapacitated person’s rights (to contract, to marry, to vote, etc.) are taken away in a guardianship proceeding and a guardian is appointed to make those decisions for the incapacitated person.  This can be a very expensive process, in addition to being an emotional process.  And if family members disagree, there could be legal battles.

Once you actually sign a health care surrogate designation and living will, it is important to have the conversation with the person you have designated about what you want or don’t want to have done if you are incapacitated.  For instance, do you want CPR?  Blood transfusions?  Antibiotics?

For a detailed checklist and form you can fill out, click the button below.

Give your family peace of mind so that, if they ever have to make a decision, they can avoid the guilt and confusion of not knowing what you wanted.

For more information about planning documents in Florida, please contact the Brandon Estate Planning Offices of Laurie Ohall today.

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