Making the important decisions for yourself and your family
At Paul Crowley & Co solicitors, one of the services offered by our Private Client department is Living Wills also known as Advance Decisions.
These types of agreements provide individuals with the ability to plan out their desires ahead of time should they be placed in a situation where they are unable to respond directly.
Our compassionate and empathetic team has the skills and knowledge to provide this vital service and offer you a higher degree of control over your own life.
As a faster alternative to the processes needed for Power of Attorney, setting up a Living Will is a quick and practical process – requiring only a single meeting to make your wishes clear, and then any revisions following that you would like to make.
It is a legally binding process, providing specific requirements have been met, which means medical professionals are required to follow your wishes.
Expressing your healthcare wishes can be a difficult topic of discussion for many, but doing so can help to support your loved ones and reduce their burden in what is already a difficult time for anyone to endure.
What does a Living Will include?
A Living Will acts as your advance care planning and can include several different areas and factors.
There’s no single requirement for your Living Will, and as such, you can arrange and include any reasonable accommodations and decisions that you would like to be made.
The Living Will is only used in the case that you’re unable to make decisions for yourself, or you cannot communicate your wishes, as defined by Compassion in Dying.
A Living Will may include any of the following:
- Health & welfare guidance and decisions
- DNR (do no resuscitate) orders
- Refusal of treatment decisions
- Treatment Escalation Planning (TEP)
“A number of people are concerned that maybe they cannot get the legal advice they require during the coronavirus pandemic. Our Private Client team continue to work from home observing all the safety guidelines. If you would like to discuss or have any questions about a Living Will please get in touch and our compassionate and understanding team will be able to help you”.
Natasha Booth,
Head of Private Client
How can I make a Living Will?
If you would like to create a Living Will, consulting with a professional service is your ideal option.
Paul Crowley & Co solicitors Private Client department offer an expert, empathetic service to support the creation of your Living Will, to ensure it’s legally binding and meets all legal and ethical requirements.
We work with you to create an Advance Decision that meets your needs and offers you dignity under challenging circumstances, as well as allowing your wishes to be carried out under your specific instruction.
Is a Living Will right for me?
A Living Will is an increasingly popular option for thousands of individuals across the UK.
By returning that power to the individual, it’s possible to have more control and provide better guidance in difficult circumstances. That dignity is something appreciated by many of our clients.
A Living Will can also be used to prevent or deliver consequence in stressful or upsetting situations in which your wishes are not met, such as in the case of Brenda Grant an 81-year old who was kept alive against her Will.
A Living Will isn’t a ‘set in stone’ plan. It means different things for everyone, and as such, it’s worth opening a discussion about your wishes with your family as well as speaking to an empathetic and friendly professional service to get started.
The elderly fearful of Covid-19 are changing their Living Wills
Living Wills, have become a topical issue in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last month an elderly lady in her nineties knew her chances of surviving a serious bout of coronavirus were slim and so took the decision should she become critically ill to review and update her Living will, to include the directive ‘No intubation‘ to ensure she would not be put on a ventilator under any circumstances.
For some elderly people with the end of their life looming, their greatest fear is being helpless and hooked to a machine.
If it is your wish to refuse end of life sustaining treatment, and avoid putting your family through unwanted anguish, you need to put this in writing and sign and date it.
Paul Crowley & Co solicitors… here to help
If in light of the coronavirus, you have discussed with your family the decision to take out or update a Living Will, Paul Crowley & Co are here to help, our empathetic team of solicitors are here to provide all the legal advice you need and to answer any questions you may have concerns about.
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