Independant living advocate with Endeavor Freedom Inc. Chairman of the board for Multiple Choices -Athens Center for Independant Living. Author of three books; Look Somewhere Different, When the Evening Dies, A Different Way of Being. Columnist with Disabled Dealer Magazine- Keeping You Connected and regular contributor to the Populist Party of America. A 'Living Will' is generally described as a signed, witnessed declaration instructing a physician to withhold or withdraw medical treatment from its signer if he or she is in a terminal condition and is unable to make decisions about medical treatment. A Living Will takes rights and control from its signer and gives decision-making authority to a physician. It also gives a physician complete immunity from civil or criminal liability for his or her action or inactions. A 'Living Will' is a document created and promoted by right-to-die groups for the express purpose of leading America down the slippery slope to publically accepted euthanasia.
Most "Living Will" proposals have been written and promoted by the following organizations.
1) The Society for the Right to Die, which became the
"Euthanasia Society of America" in 1975;
2) Americans Against Human Suffering (AAHS);
3) Concern for Dying (formerly the Euthanasia Educational Council), which
split from the Society for the Right to Die in 1979;
4) the National Hemlock Society, which lobbies for direct euthanasia, publishes a "cookbook," or "how-to" manual on suicide; and the Communist backed
5) American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The original concept of the "Living Will" originated with these pro-euthanasia groups, which saw the document as a publicly-acceptable way to introduce the agenda of legalized active euthanasia, suicide, and assisted suicide. None of these organizations uses the term "euthanasia" in their titles preferring clever euphemisms like the "right to die," "death with dignity," and "mercy killing". These groups operate in states like California, Arizona, and Florida where large elderly and retired populations live. Beware of the Living Will, it can absolutely kill you, and protect those who do it.
The Living Will language is purposefully deceptive allowing simple wordings to appear harmless until hospital staff tries to interpret end-of-life care as dictated by the 'living will.' Words such as "artificial means," "reasonable expectation of recovery," "relatively short time," "heroic measures," and "terminal" are open to a variety of interpretations which could result in the patient's death. Many of the meanings that could be construed from these words may be contrary to the intent of the Living Will signer. Also, there may be more provisions to a Living Will law than the simple declaration which is signed by the individual. For example, persons seeking to prevent "extraordinary" and "heroic" measures at the end of their lives may unintentionally authorize their own starvation and dehydration. The terms used in a Living Will can be widely interpreted or misinterpreted depending on the hospital and staff. A physician whom the signer may not know and whom holds very different values than the signer, may be the authorized decision maker for a 'living will.'
A report by the Robert Powell center for Medical Ethics of the National Right to Life Committee, released April 15, 2005, just two weeks after the murder of Terri Schiavo proves that starvation/dehydration is a regular form of “treatment” for those whose lives are considered not worth living. When asked, “WILL YOUR ADVANCE DIRECTIVE BE FOLLOWED?” The Report concludes that, "The public overwhelmingly believes patient and family choices for life-preserving measures should be respected, even when health care providers disapprove. However, health care providers are increasingly denying life-preserving measures in contravention of patient and family directives choosing them. Their denial of care as 'futile' is often based on 'quality of life' rather than physiological grounds and that most state laws fail to protect patients and families who want food, fluids, or life support when health care providers deny it."
2 Alternatives to the 'Living Will' which will truly protect you in a time of emergency where a 'living Will' will not include:
The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care promoted by the International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force
The Will To Live promoted by National Right to Life
The "Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care" is a document in which you can delegate to a trusted friend or family member the power to become your agent for any health care decisions you are unable to make. In the DPAHC one can specify more clearly his or her wishes toward a pro-life position. Your trusted friend or family member who is familiar with your values and wishes would have authority to make health care decisions on your behalf. The DPAHC takes the decisions away from the "establishment" and moves it towards "home." To the medical caregivers, the DPAHC essentially says: "Here is a person upon whom I have often been dependent for love and care in the past. Now, when I can no longer participate in decisions about my medical care, I am content to continue to be dependent upon his (her) love and care. Talk with him about what is best for me."
THE WILL TO LIVE protects your own life and the lives of your family members when you cannot speak for yourselves. It names someone you trust to safeguard your life when you cannot speak for yourself as your "health care agent", names backup agents if your first choice can't serve, describes the treatment you do and do not want to guide your health care agent and physicians, protects your family and health care agent from pressure from health care providers and others by allowing them to prove what you really did want, and it relieves agonizing end-of-life decision making from loved ones making your wishes clear.