If you were to become incapacitated by an accident or sudden illness, unable to communicate, who would make decisions about your medical care? Who do you want making the decision about your health care- you and your family or The Government?

If you haven’t done so, you’re never too young to draw up legal documents such as power of attorney, advance directive, and a living will. At Chesapeake Wills and Trusts in Glen Burnie, MD, we have over 20 years of experience helping families protect their assets, plan for incapacity, and appoint powers of attorney for financial and medical decisions.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our Maryland estate planning attorney to discuss medical care in case of incapacity or terminal illness. Read on to learn more about living wills from an advance directive lawyer.

What Is an Advance Directive?

An advance directive is an estate planning document that names a health care power of attorney (also called a health care proxy) to make decisions about medical treatments for you in case of incapacity. It will outline your wishes for specific medical treatments and palliative care in your end-of-life care.

Choosing a Health Care Proxy

When considering who you might appoint to serve as your durable health care power of attorney, choose a friend or family member who knows about your religious, spiritual, or personal beliefs about terminal health care decisions. This person would likely need to make some difficult decisions about your medical treatments, whether to maintain your life support, and other important choices about your medical care.

Outlining Your Medical Care for End-of-Life Treatment

Your advance directive should also contain a living will to predetermine any medical care decisions you want your health care power of attorney to choose for you if you are unable to make your own choices. Your living will lawyer can help you create this estate planning document to include:

• Whether to maintain you on life support and under which conditions
• Whether to resuscitate you and by what means
• Delivery of nutrition and hydration through intubation or IVs
• Palliative care and pain relief
• Admission to hospice care
• Agreement or rejection of certain tests and procedures

When Does Maryland Implement Advance Directives?

Maryland’s advance directive form allows you to make critical medical decisions in advance, including:

• If death is imminent with a terminal condition
• If you suffer from a persistent vegetative state
• If you are already suffering from incapacity due to an “end-stage” incurable condition

Contact Us at Chesapeake Wills and Trusts for a Maryland Advance Directive Attorney

Let us help you plan for incapacity with an advance directive and health care power of attorney as part of your estate planning documents. Call us today at Chesapeake Wills and Trusts at 443-249-7185, or contact us online to schedule your consultation with a living will lawyer in Glen Burnie, MD.