About "living wills"

 A while ago I came across a very short and simple "living will" published by the Twin Cities Medical Society.  "Living will" is an older term;  we call it "advance directive" or "health care directive" now.  

An advance directive is defined as:  Advance directives are legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes.

The Twin Cities Medical Society has now transferred its work on advance directives to a group called "Light the Legacy".  The address for that is https://www.lightthelegacy.org and you can download several versions of the advance directive at that site.  One of the versions is very simple:  You fill in your name, birth date, the name and relationship and phone number of the person you want to talk for yourself;  and then you sign the form and have your signature notarized or witnessed.  The form is literally one side of one sheet of paper, with instructions and suggestions on the back.  There are versions in English, Somali, Vietnamese, Chinese, Hmong, Russian and Spanish

The site includes a longer, eight-page version if you are willing to go into more detail about your wishes and hopes.

If you come to my office I will give you the short form -- free!  

I am also looking into a video version of a health care directive through an organization called Mideo.  Their website is:  https://mideohealth.com/ "Their website says:  MIDEO® is created via a facilitated medical evaluation with a licensed medical provider. From that evaluation a medical prescription for your care is created. It is then recorded and placed in our secure servers. We utilize ID cards called MIDEO ID cards and ask that they be kept with your insurance Cards and drivers license in your wallet or purse. You also receive a MIDEO Magnet for your refrigerator as we often train paramedics to look on the side of your refrigerator for your living will or advance directive."

There is apparently a cost, which may be covered by health insurance or Medicare.

I encourage you to at least have a paper short-form health care directive as part of your planning process.