A traffic accident or a stroke – and from now on it is not in the position to decide what medical or nursing treatment you want and what not. Well, if there is a patient available.
“With such a document, anyone can would like to Express his will, as he can in the case in which he does not respond to medical treatment,” said Eugen Brysch, the Executive Board of the German Foundation for patient protection in Dortmund. No living will is in place, need to discuss either family members and Doctors, or a potential agent or supervisor and a doctor to the alleged will of the person Concerned.
In healthy times, to the think
As the current discussion on the life of the French coma patient Vincent Lambert shows, this is often not easy. For 10 years, the 42-Year-old is in the hospital and kept alive artificially. In the case of an accident, his brain was badly damaged, and since then he is in the coma. His family is divided, currently is being heard in court, whether his life should be artificially prolonged. His parents and his siblings are not against the setting of care, Lambert’s wife wants to leave him “in Would go.” Her husband had desired that his life will be artificially extended, she said a few years ago. Lambert, however, had no living will.
A written document, however, must physicians respect the written will. “A living will should every person from the age of 18. Age have,” advises Brysch of the Foundation’s patient protection therefore. Specifically should apply, and what desires in different situations. This is why everyone should take care of itself in times of good health.
Be as specific as possible
“A living will is divided into two parts,” explains the lawyer Dietmar Short of Berlin. In the first part, is listed, the situations in which the patients available, the following applies: for example, for the last stage in the process of dying, with an incurable disease or a vegetative state. In the second part of the specific treatment wishes in these situations.
For instance, it can be determined whether the Doctors should perform artificial ventilation or artificial feeding, resuscitation or organ donation. “The desires individually and as concrete as possible, to be formulated and carefully at the situations to be related,” says Christopher crane of the consumer Hamburg.
Was useful to describe personal experiences – for example, why you created a living will. “So can’t be written down that you want a certain treatment, because you has experienced that a close relatives has suffered very much,” explains crane.
Counselling agencies and family doctors to address
Important when you Write: Vague formulations are not enough. They are even ineffective, decided by the Federal court of justice in 2016. The mere desire that no life should be prolonging measures, the judge in the case does not apply. Imprecise formulations like this, the Doctors decide to eventually together with relatives or possible Agent on the treatment.
To prevent this from happening, should be interested for advice. For example, in the case of consumer associations, care associations or the German Foundation for patient protection. Also, some of the house doctors can help. The Federal Ministry of justice provides on its Website a brochure with text blocks.
In the emergency folder folders and update regularly
Generally speaking, A living will is always done in writing. “You can be drafted by hand or on PC are created,” explained the lawyer Short. It is a good idea to get the document from someone – the best of house doctor – to confirm that the author was at the time of creation in the full possession of his mental powers. Not necessary, according to Brysch of the Foundation for patient protection, the disposal must be notarized.
In any case, you should be stored so they can be quickly found. A possibility that the document is in a “emergency folder” to be kept. “Helpful can be to hand over copies of the patient’s relatives, agents, friends or the family doctor,” says crane.
The patient should be reviewed regularly-at least every two years, and may be updated. Because it may be that the own state of health, but also the medical treatment to change possibilities. If from the point of view of the author, everything is still current, he should add the document again and write the date.
A Deputy for “just in case”
In addition to a living will, it makes sense to grant powers of attorney. Thus, it chooses a personal Deputy, to the hits in the case of unconsciousness or incapacity the decisions. “So the Doctors have a contact person, if you can’t talk to the patients themselves,” says Short. A power of attorney is also granted in writing.
Anyone who wants can send a copy of the patient and, where appropriate, the precautionary power of attorney to the German Foundation for patient protection. It checks whether the documents are of practical use. Both documents can also to the Central pension register of the Federal chamber of notaries or in the Federal Central register of Declaration of intent to be registered.