Wills - Estates - Elder Law

Advance healthcare directives, otherwise known as "living wills" are intended to address the effects that science, sophisticated medical treatments and technology have on human life, morality, and spirituality. A living will allows you to set forth a series of written instructions that outline your desires regarding the use of healthcare treatment so that your moral and spiritual beliefs are honored after you are no longer able to make or communicate your own decisions. While considering the time and situation in which a living will may be necessary is never pleasant, it is a proactive measure you can take to ensure you are treated with a respect for your wishes.

A living will can be very general or very specific in character and it will echo both your unique circumstances and your unique beliefs. Each living will is distinct and should reflect your own personal, thought-out positions on protracted grief and pain for yourself and your family members, as well as the substantial financial and emotional burdens prolonged treatment can cause. A living will typically addresses the following areas:

Pennsylvania law specifies a series of requirements that must be met for a living will to be valid. These requirements are in place in order to protect you and ensure that what purport to be your living will is actually your desires and wishes. The requirements are generally similar to the requirements necessary to make a Will in Pennsylvania, and are as follows:

After your living will is created, you should contact your physician or healthcare provider and include a copy of it in your file. The Advance Healthcare Directive will only go into effect upon you becoming terminally ill, incapacitated, or unable to communicate your medical wishes.