Hospice and Palliative Care

Living Will

A living will, also called a treatment directive, is a type of advance directive that documents personal wishes about end-of-life medical treatment in case decision-making or communication abilities are lost. A living will specifies the conditions under which certain kinds of treatment or life-support measures would or would not be wanted.

A living will can be changed or revoked at any time and will not take effect until a person is no longer able to make or communicate decisions. Copies of living wills should be given to and discussed with a person’s health professional and family members.

Although living wills can be written without the help of an attorney, legal advice may be useful. This is especially true for people who live in states where living wills are not recognized or the laws governing them are unclear. Many hospitals and nursing homes provide living will forms that comply with state-specific requirements. Living wills specifically for Texas can be obtained at Hospice of Texas.



Living wills and medical powers of attorney are types of advance directives.

• A living will, also called a treatment directive, documents personal wishes about end-of-life medical treatment in case decision-making or communication abilities are lost.
• A medical power of attorney is a legal document that lets you appoint someone (usually called a health care agent) to make medical treatment decisions for you not only at the end of life, but any time you are unable to speak for yourself.

Health care agent (MPOA)

A health care agent is someone who is chosen to make medical decisions for a person should a severe illness or injury occur that makes communication impossible. The document that grants this decision-making power to the person selected is called a medical power of attorney.

Although laws vary by state, a health care agent can usually make medical treatment decisions at the end of life or any time a person is unable to communicate. Once a person selects a health care agent, it is important to thoroughly discuss and document medical care preferences, such as when to continue or abandon life-support measures. Social workers at Hospice of Texas will assist patients and family members with obtaining forms that are specifically for our state.