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The Health Care Directive, or Living Will

A Living Will is a document that expresses your wishes as to medical procedures to be followed in the event you are incapacitated. Under Arizona law, physicians and hospitals are bound to follow your instructions in this regard, with certain limitations.

In general, you have three main choices concerning your care in the event of a condition with terminal diagnosis:

• Direct the provision of all life-prolonging procedures

• Direct the withholding of all life-prolonging procedures

• Choose only certain life-prolonging procedures to be followed.

Types of life-prolonging procedures:

• Artificial breathing (respirator/ventilator)

• If you are conscious
  

• If you are unconscious

• Artificial feeding and fluids (nutrition/hydration)

• Pain alleviation/comfort care

• Extensive, painful or risky surgeries to prolong, but not save, life.

In addition, a Living Will may specify your desires as to post-mortem treatment:

• Body organ donation

• Burial/cremation direction

• Type of funeral service

Pre-Hospital Medical Care Directive

Arizona law also provides for a Pre-Hospital Medical Care Directive. This is a letter or wallet-sized document printed on orange background which directs medical personnel to withhold certain invasive treatments in the event of cardiac arrest.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Finally, the above should be combined with a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, which gives a loved one the power to direct your care, in accordance with your wishes as expressed in the living will, in the event of your incapacity.
 
 

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