Issues that surround terminal illness, incapacitation and death are not easy to talk about. But it would be a lot easier for the immediate family if their loved one had drawn up a living will before being confronted with a traumatic accident or a serious illness.
Without it, a person's preferences with regard to the extent of life support measures (i.e. artificial ventilation, tube feeding, medications and other high-tech machines) would not be heard and carried out. Living wills, therefore, are essential tools that are applicable for all eligible individuals.
In determining your health care wishes, you should always take your values into account. These considerations should include your thoughts about the importance of self-sufficiency and independence, and where to draw the line when the quality of life is compromised. Also, you need to decide if your advanced directives would prohibit life-sustaining and/or life-saving measures.
Before drafting your own living will, be acquainted with the different treatments that are within its scope. In this way, you will be able to specify which of these measures you wish to receive or refuse in the event of incapacitation. Also, it would be a good idea to speak with your physician about this matter and be advised on other pertinent issues and terminologies.
The Different Treatments
1) Resuscitation
This procedure aims to restart a heart that has stopped beating. Decide on when and if you wish to be resuscitated via CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or by a medical device that dispenses an electrical shock to revive the heart. The stage of a disease or the extent of injury matters in this situation.
Therefore, try to be as specific as possible. You may fill out medical forms called DNR (do-not-resuscitate) orders to signify your desire to refuse such life-saving measure. These forms are usually attached to the medical record to forewarn the health care team.
2) Mechanical Ventilation
This life-sustaining measure involves the use of a machine that takes over a person's ventilation in the event that he or she is incapable of spontaneous breathing. Reflect about when, if and for how long you would like to be attached to a mechanical ventilator.
You should also take your prognosis and condition into account, and whether or not it would matter to you if the doctors have high hopes about your recovery.
3) Hydration and Nutritional Assistance
These life-prolonging measures provide the body with much needed fluids and nutrients intravenously or through a nasogastric tube (NGT). Come to a decision about when, if and for how long you would like to receive sustenance in this manner.
4) Dialysis
In case of renal failure, this medical procedure gets rid of toxic wastes from your blood and controls fluid levels in your body. Decide on when, if and for how long you would like to accept this treatment.
5) End-of-life Care
Examples of treatment that fall under this category include the administration of painkillers, antibiotics, and mechanical ventilation. You should also determine whether you would like to receive these palliative measures even when death is imminent.
In general, these medical interventions can provide help in temporary situations wherein recovery is possible. However, in end-of-life stages, such measures could only add further discomfort and prolong the dying process.
A lot of conditions may fall someplace in between, where the odds of recuperation is unknown. These circumstances are often difficult to deal with. When living wills are present, however, these problematical situations are made a lot easier.
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The Louisiana living will – also known as the Louisiana Declaration – makes it possible for you to assert your wishes about medical treatment in the ill-fated event that you become irreversibly comatose or terminally sick and can no longer participate in the making of your own health care decisions.
This legal document only becomes effective once the continual application of life support measures have been proven to merely put off an imminent death.
Of course, your attending physician and another doctor must first make a fitting diagnosis about your medical condition. On top of that, they must officially state in writing that your current health status is indeed beyond any possibility of recovery.
The declaration also lets you assign another person to act as your health care advocate. He or she will make the necessary decisions with regard to treatment in case your medical condition forbids you from deciding for your own care or expressing your wishes.
In Louisiana, the State Secretary is obliged to set up a Declaration registry where citizens may enlist the original and certified true copy of their living wills. Doctors and other pertinent members of the health care facility may, but is not expected to, ask for a verification of document authenticity from the registry of Louisiana living wills.
Things You Should Do After Filling Out The Forms
1) Store the original copy of your Louisiana living will in a secure yet accessible location. Steer clear of security boxes (i.e. safe deposit box) since gaining access to the document might become a problem in the future.
2) Make copies of the duly signed document and hand them over to your health care surrogate, immediate family members, close friends, and health care provider. More often than not, a copy of the living will is placed in the medical records so that members of the health team would know of its existence.
3) Be sure to speak with your health care surrogate, doctor(s), family and close friends about your preferences with regard to medical treatment. Talk about your health care wishes and the factors that helped shape them.
4) In case you want to change certain instructions in your living will, or perhaps you wish to add something, you have to fill out a new document for that.
5) Keep in mind that you have the right to revoke your Louisiana living will at any time.
6) Understand that the Louisiana Declaration will not take effect in emergency situations. The personnel of an ambulance are duty-bound to provide CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), unless they are furnished with a separate order that indicates otherwise. This special order – also known as "non-hospital DNR order" – is intended for individuals whose ill health presents a very slim likelihood of benefiting from the life-saving procedure.
In addition, the order must hold the signature of the person's attending physician. An instruction to withhold CPR in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest is also contained in the order. At present, not all states have statutes that authorize "non-hospital DNR orders".
Certain conditions, however, must be satisfied in order for a Louisiana living will to be regarded as legally binding. For instance, with regard to age, you need to be at least 18 years old to be qualified to draw up your own living will.
Aside from that, you need to be of sound mind when making this legal document.
Living Wills Related Articles
- Knowing The Pros And Cons Of Living Wills
- Facing The Difficult Task Of Making Living Wills
- Advanced Directives And Living Wills In Nebraska
- Differentiating A Living Will And A Living Trust
- Exploring The Contents Of Living Wills
- Living Will Forms And How They Work
- Living Wills And How They Work
- Living Wills And Power Of Attorney
- Living Wills And The Extent Of Your Options
- Living Wills And The Terry Schiavo Case
- Living Wills For Health Care
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- Massachusetts Living Wills
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- Succession Law: The Importance of Having a Will
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- The Advantages Of Living Wills And Living Trusts
- The Basic Details About Kentucky Living Wills
- The Details Of California Living Will Forms
- The Limitations and Alternatives of Missouri Living Wills
- The Ultimate Guide In Making A Louisiana Living Will