A “living will”, also called an “advance directive” or a “declaration for a natural death”, is a document that allows you to specify the sorts of medical treatment and care you are to receive in the event that you suffer from dementia or become unconscious and your doctor(s) believe it is irreversible, or you are diagnosed with a condition that your doctor(s) believe will shortly result in death.  A related document, a “health care power of attorney”, allows you to designate any person you choose to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them yourself.  While these documents are fairly straightforward, they raise difficult (and unpleasant) issues.  We help our clients think through the options and implications.  We also ensure our clients’ choices are consistent and clear, thereby helping to ensure that their choices will be followed.  We frequently see clients come in that already have these documents and discover upon review that they contain inconsistencies.