A Utah living will is also known as a Utah advance healthcare directive or an advanced health care directive form. It is a legal document governed by the Utah code. The purpose of a Utah living will is to document your medical care wishes and end-of-life care. This document often kicks in if you are declared incapacitated because of a persistent vegetative state, terminal illness, an incurable injury, or a similar condition. This is an important document because it will be used by healthcare providers. You should be as thorough as you can when documenting your health care wishes. Some examples you may want to include in your decision making are organ donation, clinical trials, whether you would like your medical records or organs (or your body) to be used for medical research, the use or withdrawal of artificial nutrition or hydration, the use or withdrawal of life-support, and whether you have a do not resuscitate order (DNR).
A Utah living will is also used to name a health care agent. Your agent will make medical decisions on your behalf during that time. Your Utah living will must have the signature of a witness (at least one).
A living will is an estate planning document designed to make a difficult time easier for your family members and other loved ones. However, it does not operate in the same way as a power of attorney or a health care power of attorney, even if it is durable. While a durable health-care power of attorney gives the agent the ability to make decisions after you are incapacitated, it does not allow them to make decisions related to end-of-life care. Also, a living will does not allow your named agent to make decisions related to your personal property. To learn more about both living wills and powers of attorney and how they can be used in your life, seek legal advice from a law firm in your area.
§ 75-2a-101 through § 75-2a-125: The Advance Health Care Directive Act allows competent adults to create a document that makes their medical care wishes known if they can no longer voice that information. If no health care agent is named, the order of priority is the spouse (unless there is a divorce or legal separation), an adult child, a parent, an adult sibling, an adult grandchild, or a grandparent.
When planning for the end of your life, it is important to make sure that you also create a Utah last will and testament.
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