Living Will Numbers Increase This Year

A study this week shows the number of individuals getting a living will has increased over five times during the pandemic.

Local attorney Henry Fincher said the uptick isn’t surprising.

“It makes perfect sense that people are paying more attention to end of life issues now that we have a global pandemic,” Fincher said. “That’s not necessarily because they’ll get the COVID-19 and die from it, they’re just more aware of it.”

Fincher said a living will provides legal basis for a healthcare provider to remove an individual on life support if they are pronounced brain dead with no hope of recovery. He said this document has additional provisions for organ donations, how end of life issues are accomplished, and withdrawing nourishment.

“If you don’t have a living will, then by law these healthcare providers are required to continue providing care until someone with legal authority stops that,” Fincher said. “However, if you have a living will then you have informed them at a time that you were competent to do so that you want these services to be stopped if you have a terminal condition.”

In conjunction to a living will, it’s important to have a healthcare power of attorney designated as your representative. Fincher said this document makes this difficult process easier for your family.

“If we don’t prepare for something as certain as death, then we can cause problems for our loved ones and those who come after us by going to a lawyer, by going to someone who’s trained in end of life issues like the powers of attorney, a will, a living will, and other documents like that that help people during these very difficult and tragic times,” Fincher said.

To get a living will, either contact an estate or will attorney, or fill an online hospital application.