Many people will need some type of medical care near the end of their lives. In these cases, family members may feel at a loss as to what types of treatment should be tried or other actions taken in the event that a loved one cannot communicate his or her wishes in a potentially terminal situation. In hopes of avoiding this type of situation, New York residents may want to consider creating living wills.
With a living will, individuals could specifically instruct what type of actions would be acceptable in the event that they cannot disclose their wishes during a medical emergency. Some people may wish to simply state that all necessary care should be provided, but this phrasing could lead to unnecessary and unhelpful procedures that do little to benefit the patient and instead simply eat up funds. Therefore, it may prove wiser to leave specific instruction.
Additionally, many people may prefer to ensure that their quality of life is at an acceptable place in order to carry on treatments rather than allowing life-extending care for the sake of keeping a heart beating. Because some people may not fully understand their planning options, they may not know that there are ways in which they can plan to extend their lives or die in the manner they see fit. For this reason, it can prove beneficial to obtain information on making end-of-life plans.
New York residents interested in this type of planning may want to learn more about living wills. There is a myriad of information available regarding this and many other estate planning tools. Discussing concerns and wishes with experienced attorneys could give interested parties the opportunity to find ways to appropriately express their wishes.