STROUDSBURG ESTATE PLANNING LAW
Living wills are not just for your grandparents. In fact, younger residents in Pennsylvania just like you may want to consider the usefulness of having a living will, even if you aren’t among any of the higher risk groups such as the infirmed or elderly.
The American Bar Association states that a living will essentially covers everything you would need taken care of in the event that you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself. You might automatically think of this as occuring much later in life. However, situations in which you lose the ability to make decisions can include sudden and unexpected accidents, or illnesses that cause rapid deterioration in the patient.
As the author of the living will, you decide when your representative will be able to step in and start making your decisions. At that point, they will be able to determine things like tissue and organ donation upon death, or whether or not you should receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is highly advised for you to speak to both your representative and doctor about as many different medical scenarios as possible so your representative will know what you wish for in the event of many emergencies. It is also important to keep your living will up to date so that your most recent desires are represented.
Dealing with a living will can be difficult both on a legal level and in terms of the mental preparation required. However, while this is not meant as legal advice, you may want to consider the preparation in case life surprises you someday.
