Living Wills for Gay & Lesbian Partners

Planning Ahead For Your Health Care
In the absence of a Living Will or other legal arrangement, if you become disabled, your partner generally has no say regarding medical care or life support. Your partner cannot access your assets. Your partner cannot receive information on your medical status or medical care. Advance directives are very personal documents and you should feel free to develop one which best suits your own needs. All States have declared that competent adults have the fundamental right, in collaboration with their health care providers, to control decisions about their own health care. States recognize in their law and public policy the personal right of the individual patient to make voluntary, informed choices to accept, to reject or to choose among alternative courses of medical and surgical treatment. If you have a Living Will, you can designate your partner as a decision maker.

WHY LIVING WILLS
Modern advances in science and medicine have made possible the prolongation of the lives of many seriously ill individuals, without always offering realistic prospects for improvement or cure. For some individuals, the possibility of extended life is experienced as meaningful and of benefit. For others, artificial prolongation of life may seem to provide nothing medically necessary or beneficial, serving only to extend suffering and prolong the dying process. More info"www.centraljerseyelderlaw.com