The living will is a document that is unilateral in nature. This means that the document does not have to name an individual to carry out the declarant's medical wishes. The living will is seldom the only health care related advance directive that should be executed. In most cases it is appropriate to also execute the medical power of attorney. First, the living will is not regularly used, although it is usually executed in one form or another.
Forms are available readily upon admission to most hospitals.
Disclosure of their availability and usage is mandated by federal law known as the Patient Self Determination Act. Understand that when an individual is terminally ill and has been in a coma for seven days it is not medically appropriate in most cases to continue providing life support for that individual. Medical practice usually dictates that life support not be administered to individuals with a poor prognosis for recovery. It is usually recommended that everyone execute a living will. The living will doesn't necessarily have to dictate that life support be discontinued.