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November 28 , 2024 The Beacon • 27
Savvy Senior columnist discusses writing a living will
Dear Savvy Senior ,
What ’ s the best way to go about writing a living will ? I ’ m approaching age 73 and in poor health and would like to get this done without spending a lot of money .
Need Help
Dear Need ,
Preparing a living will now is a smart decision that gives you say in how you want to be treated at the end of your life . Here ’ s what you should know , along with some resources to help you write one .
What to prepare To adequately spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment , you need two legal documents : a living will , which tells your doctor what kind of care you want to receive if you become incapacitated , and a healthcare power of attorney or healthcare proxy , which names a person you authorize to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to .
These two documents are known as an advance directive and will only be
utilized if you are too ill to make medical decisions yourself . You also can change or update it whenever you please .
It isn ’ t necessary to hire a lawyer to prepare an advance directive . There are a number of free or low-cost do-it-yourself resources available today to help you create one , and it takes only a few minutes from start to finish . Some top options include the following :
— CaringInfo . org : This is a program created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that provides free statespecific living will forms you can download , print and fill out . Or you can call 800-658-8898 , and they will mail them to you and answer any questions you may have .
— MyDirectives . com : If you ’ d rather create a digital advance directive , MyDirectives is an online tool and mobile app that will
help you create , store and share a detailed , customized digital advance directive . — FiveWishes . org : This is another top-rated resource for creating a comprehensive paper or digital advance directive . They charge $ 5 for the paper form and $ 15 for the digital version , which is stored on the website that you or your family can access anytime .
VA advance directive
If you ’ re a veteran , the VA also provides a free advance directive form specifically for you at www . VA . gov / find-forms / aboutform-10-0137 .
Other options
If you ’ re interested in making an entire estate plan that will include your will and / or trust , power of attorney and advance directive , there are many doit-yourself online services that typically run between $ 100 and $ 250 . Some top services include Quicken WillMaker & Trust software at www . WillMaker . com , Trust & Will at www . TrustandWill . com and Legal Zoom at www . LegalZoom . com , which also makes basic living wills for only $ 39 .
Or if you ’ d rather have a professional do it for you , contact an estate planning attorney . See www . NAELA . org or www . NAEPC . org to help you locate someone in your area . Costs will vary depending on where you live , but you can expect to pay somewhere between $ 500 and $ 2,000 for a basic estate plan .
Add-ons
You also should consider getting a do-notresuscitate order as part of your advance directive because advanced directives do little to protect you from unwanted emergency care like CPR . To create a DNR , ask your doctor to fill out a state-appropriate form and sign it .
Another tool you should know about that will complement your advance directive is the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment , sometimes called Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment . A POLST form translates your end-of-life
wishes into medical orders to be honored by your doctors . To learn more about your state ’ s program or set one up , visit www . POLST . org .
Tell your family To ensure your final wishes are followed , make sure to tell your family members , healthcare proxy
and doctors so they all know what you want . You also should provide them copies of your advance directive , or if you create a digital version , make sure you share it electronically .
Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior , P . O . Box 5443 , Norman , OK 73070 , or visit www . SavvySenior . org .
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