A Directive to Physicians (or "Living Will") guides your loved ones and medical providers by spelling out your wishes regarding medical intervention and end-of-life care.

If you became incapacitated due to grave illness or injury, your doctors and your family would have to make important decisions about your care. A Directive to Physicians guides your loved ones and medical providers by spelling out your wishes regarding medical intervention and end-of-life care. We will sit down with you to discuss these sensitive but important questions, and draft clear instructions for medical personnel and your family.

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A DIRECTIVE TO PHYSICIANS ("LIVING WILL"). A Directive to Physicians (also called a Health Care Directive, Medical Directive, or Living Will) is a legal document that provides specific guidance on what actions the medical staff should or should not take on your behalf, such as:

* Heroic measures – If your heart stopped, would you want to be resuscitated?

* Life support – If you lost brain function or the ability to breathe, would you want to be kept alive?

* End-of-life care – Do you want life-extending treatment? Pain medications? Religious rites?

Medical providers must adhere to medical directives, such as a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order. In the absence of a Directive to Physicians, physicians may be required to act against your wishes, or family members may be powerless to do what you would have wanted.

HEALTH CARE POWERS OF ATTORNEY. In addition to a Directive to Physicians, you may want to designate a loved one as your health care proxy or agent, also known as health care attorney-in-fact. That person would be empowered to make decisions on your behalf if you were incapacitated. For example, they could authorize surgery or other medical intervention in a crisis situation when time is of the essence.

The key to a Directive to Physicians is in the details. You may think your family knows your wishes, and vice versa, but when the time comes there may be disagreements or heart-wrenching decisions. We can walk you through various scenarios to ensure that the Directive to Physicians reflects your wishes and avoids those dilemmas.

Based in Gig Harbor, we provide full-service estate planning throughout Washington and Idaho. Give us a call at 253.858.5434 to set up an appointment today. We are available to meet in person, by phone, or via video conference, whatever is most convenient for you.