What is a Living Will?

In Maryland, a living will, also called an advance directive, allows you to specify what sort of care you want if your doctors conclude you are going to die very soon (“terminally ill”). Do you want all measures taken to prolong life? Would you rather avoid what you perceive is a pointless extension of your life since you are going to die soon thereafter anyway? These same questions can be answered in the event that you were to experience a medical emergency such as a heart attack and you were in a permanent coma or in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s. Refusing to intervene medically in those circumstances is also termed “DNR” or do not resuscitate.