How living wills benefit all adults

On Behalf of | Nov 19, 2018 | Blog

Nevada residents and those living throughout the country can benefit from having a living will. This is true regardless of how old a person in. Younger adults could suffer mental or physical injuries in an accident, and having a proxy could make it easier to get the level of care that they want. Those who are diagnosed with a serious illness may want to create or adjust their living wills.

The exact language of the will should be geared toward how a disease is expected to progress. For instance, terminal cancer may require more urgent planning compared to heart disease or diabetes that may take have more of a long-term impact on a person’s health. In addition to creating the living will itself, it is important to find someone who is capable of carrying out a person’s wishes. In many cases, a person will choose his or her spouse to act as a proxy.

However, this may not always be the best decision. The spouse who is sick could want to be let go while the other spouse wants to extend his or her life. Furthermore, a highly opinionated spouse may also not make a good choice as a proxy. Regardless of how a living will is created, it should be thought of as something that is developed over a lifetime.

Going through the process of will planning may make it easier to think about end-of-life decisions rationally. By making his or her wishes clear, family members and others may not feel burdened by potentially difficult medical decisions. A will or trust can also be used to ensure that assets are transferred promptly. An attorney may help a person create estate plan documents or review them on a regular basis.