“Living Will Information Counter” opens on November 1 at Government Medical College, Kollam, Kerala
“Living Will Information Counter” opens on November 1 at Government Medical College, Kollam, Kerala
The new initiative is the first of its kind, dedicated to spreading the concept of the living will. A living will is a legal document introduced in 2018, with the process simplified on January 23, 2023, by the Supreme Court of India. It represents, in a way, the ultimate right of an individual to decide and exercise their health care preferences when faced with a terminal illness or life-threatening disease and is unable to make decisions regarding health care choices and treatments. In such scenarios, a pre-written living will can come to the individual’s rescue. One major benefit of executing a living will is that it safeguards loved ones from living a life of agony, decision fatigue, and a prick of conscience.
The process of executing a living will is simple at present. Once we decide to write a living will, we need two or more health care attorneys, also known as surrogate decision-makers or proxies. This is important, as the living will comes into force only when the person is unable to make decisions for themselves, i.e., in legal terms, the person is incapacitated. A gazetted officer or notary then certifies the will in the presence of two witnesses. This ensures that the person voluntarily wrote the will and did so without any coercion.
The main difference between a living will and a normal will is that a living will takes effect during the person’s lifetime and addresses health care preferences, whereas a normal will only becomes valid after death and concerns the bequeathing of financial assets. The model palliative care division of Government Medical College, Kollam, has been at the forefront of spearheading this movement from 2023 onwards, with many community awareness programs and camps. Now, our medical college is implementing a novel idea of opening a “Living Will Information Counter” in the OP registration block.