Living wills are not designed for use after a person’s death as normal wills are. As the name suggests, a living will is for use during a person’s lifetime, during a time when they may not be able to state their preferences or make informed decisions.
In most cases, living wills apply to situations regarding health care. For example, a living will may offer instructions and preferences so that doctors know how to treat a patient when they are in a coma or otherwise incapacitated.
Are Living Wills Instructions to Withhold Treatment?
Some people think that living wills only serve as documents that direct medical care providers to withhold treatment. However, this is not the case. Living wills are very flexible and allow a person to ask for all available options while giving preferences to what types of treatment they would like to receive and rejecting certain types of treatments if they wish.
When Do Living Wills Take Effect?
Living wills do not take effect until a patient is medically determined to be terminally ill or in a permanent vegetative state. This means that the directives in the living will should be a patient’s preferences regarding end of life treatment, rather than decisions that relate to the possibility of recovery.
What Are the Specific Laws in Ohio?
In Ohio, living wills are not valid if the person is pregnant unless the pregnancy will not result in a live birth. Two witnesses or a notary are required for a living will in Ohio.
If you want to prepare for any eventuality in your life, you may want to consider creating a living will sooner rather than later. This will help you gain peace of mind to know that your wishes will always be followed.