The living will and 9 questions everyone should ask

The living will is the most important document for precautionary care in an emergency.

Although the living will can be written down informally by the patient, it must refer to concrete and unambiguous treatment situations.

Those who do not have a living will could have a stranger assigned by the court to make medical treatment decisions.

Create your individual living will directly here and sign up for Ninebarc for free.

Photo by Laura James on Pexels

People who are young and fit don't usually think often about accidents or emergencies that change their lives. But what happens if you have an emergency after which you are no longer able to communicate? That's exactly what a living will is for. It gives patients the opportunity to communicate which treatment methods are approved or rejected in the event of an emergency, even if he or she is no longer able to communicate it themselves.

The living will is considered one of the most important documents when it comes to care in an emergency. In this guide, we explain everything that belongs in a living will, where you can get it and much more.

What is a living will?

The living will is a written document with which patients can determine, as a precaution, which medical measures should be carried out and which should be omitted. It comes into effect when you are no longer able to make decisions or communicate your wishes yourself.

The living will protects the patient's will and ensures that it is implemented.

Why do I need a living will?

A sudden medical emergency can affect anyone. When a patient becomes unresponsive, medical staff often have to make important decisions. In the worst case, life-sustaining measures are involved. The living will ensures that your wishes are taken into account and carried out. Every adult person can set out his or her wishes in writing in the living will, and medical staff must follow the patient's instructions.

If you do not have a living will, the court will normally appoint a legal guardian. This can be a relative, but also a stranger.

Reasons for a living will

There are many reasons for a living will. Here we provide you with an overview of the most important ones:

• Even young people can have an emergency where they are no longer conscious.

• If something happens to you, the family is in bad enough shape. If they then have to make important decisions about life-sustaining measures, it becomes even more difficult. This is where the living will helps family members and relieves them of the burden of having to make a difficult decision.

• If quality of life is more important to you than survival at any cost, an advance directive could be important to you. For example, you can permanently refuse intensive medical treatments such as artificial respiration or artificial nutrition and instead request palliative care.

• Self-determination is particularly important in an emergency. With the living will, you yourself can appoint one or more persons to decide on your behalf how you are to be treated and for how long.

• If you want comprehensive protection when it comes to health and care in an emergency, the living will can be supplemented by a care proxy and a health care proxy. This also allows you to name several people to represent your interests, even in court.

When should I write a living will?

You can draw up a living will as soon as you reach the age of majority, i.e. at the age of 18. It should be drawn up as early as possible. After all, no one can foresee a sudden emergency. In the best case, you will never need the document. Also, you will not suffer any disadvantages as a result of the decree. In any case, you should tell your relatives that you have a living will and where you keep it.

Where can I get the living will?

You can write the living will yourself informally. It does not matter whether it is handwritten or whether you use a printout. You are welcome to use the Ninebarc template generator for this.

Create a free account now and simply generate a template for your individual living will.

What important information is in the living will?

In general, the living will contains your views and values regarding medical treatment in the event of serious illness or emergency. Your ideas and wishes are also important when it comes to dying with dignity. The content can be written informally, but should be meaningful and unambiguous. Important medical terms must be included. In the Ninebarc generator you will find important information on all the situations described, so that you can make these decisions yourself.

You can discuss these with your doctor beforehand.

Information can be added at any time

You can add your details later so that there are few or no questions and your instructions are clearly understood. You may want to be taken to a particular hospital or give details about organ donation. You can even release people from confidentiality so that they can tell others about your condition.

Mandatory information at a glance:

These details must be included in a living will:

• First name and surname

• Date of birth

• Address

• Date

• Signature

• Writ of habeas corpus

• Concrete application situations

• Names of one or more trusted persons who will enforce your wishes

Examples of application situations in which a Patient Decree can provide clarity

Your living will can apply to the following application situations. You can simply specify these in advance in the generator for your living will:

• Serious and incurable disease

• Loss of communication skills

• Dementia

• Dying

• Traumatic brain injuryAcute danger to life

• Long-term unconsciousness

Formulate exactly and possibly have it checked by a lawyer.

Although it is stated that the living will can be drawn up informally, it must be formulated in such a way that there is no room for interpretation. The blanket statement: "no life-sustaining measures..." may not be sufficient as a statement. In a 2016 ruling, the Federal Court of Justice defined the requirements that are necessary for the directive to be binding.

It was decided that the following specific terms must be included. Concrete medical measures such as "artificial nutrition", "artificial respiration" or 'artificial hydration".

The order must refer to specific treatment situations. Such as "immediate dying process", "terminal incurable disease", "accident", etc. For this purpose, use the templates of Ninebarc to meet the requirements.

To do this, use Ninebarc's templates to meet the requirements.

Does the living will have to be certified by a doctor?

No, certification is not necessary. However, you can check the accuracy of your information with a trusted doctor if you are not sure about the choice of expressions.

How often do I need to renew my living will?

Renewal is generally not necessary. However, as your attitude or health situation may change as you get older, it is advisable to look at the living will every two years or so to see if there are any important changes you would like to make.

Where do I keep my living will?

In the event of an emergency, it must be possible to find the order as quickly as possible and present it to the doctor. It is therefore important that relatives know where it is kept. They can give an original to trusted persons with power of attorney for safekeeping.

Why can't my spouse decide?

The spouse is also not entitled to decide on medical measures. In the absence of an order, a court will appoint a full-time guardian in an emergency.

Conclusion:

Regardless of age, the living will is worthwhile for everyone from the age of majority. It not only helps the doctor, but also relatives in a difficult emergency situation. Once it has been drawn up, it is easy to adapt it from time to time. Inform your family about the document. Your living will can then be kept with other important documents and if an emergency arises, the family can act quickly. If the court is involved, time will pass and the patient's wishes may not be honoured.

With your Ninebarc account you can create an individual and legally compliant template for your living will and gain access to more precaution-related documents.

Sign up for free now