California Living Will (Advance Directive) Form

The California Living Will form is a legal document that clarifies how a patient wants to be treated. This form is also called the California Advance Health Care Directive form. Patients usually complete this paper to express their main preferences regarding the medical treatment they receive. It is necessary for patients who cannot make any decisions because of poor health.

Also, a patient can assign an agent using this form. An agent will have the right to make decisions about the health treatment for the patient.

Fill Out Your Form

Guidelines and Laws

The California laws imply restrictions to the filling out procedure and signing the form. Firstly, the California Probate Code recommends that the patient decides the terms stated in the California Living Will with a physician and family. It would help if you were reasonable when completing the form and including any types of preferred medical treatment.

Furthermore, it is necessary to notify the medical staff of the hospital or any other medical organization that you have completed this form. If your physician refuses to comply with your medical treatment requirements, they have to transfer rights for therapy to another physician. Besides, no one should stop you from completing and signing the form or convince you to revoke the form. According to statute 4677 of the California Probate Code, the patient is the only person who can decide to execute or cancel the validity of the Living Will.

Statute 4673 of the Probate Code states that the patient’s signature should be confirmed by the signatures of two witnesses or notarized. The witnesses have to prove that the signing person is of sound mind, and the decision is voluntary.

The witness can be almost any adult person except these parties:

A medical worker at the hospital providing treatment for the patient
A physician responsible for medical treatment applied to a patient
Representative of the care facility
The agent assigned by a medical power of attorney

There are no strict requirements for the choice of agent for California Living Will. However, you have to be sure that the selected and assigned person is reliable and not interested in your death.

How to Fill Out a California Advance Directive

The process of filling out the California Advance Directive or Living Will is easy if you use the official recommendations and official template.

Here we will provide a step-by-step guide for you to complete the California Living Will form correctly:

Read the Text in the Form Carefully

While reading the introductory part of the form, you should pay attention to every detail as this form will determine your medical treatment in the future.

Assign an Agent

You can mention up to three people in the form as agents. It is needed when the assigned agent cannot or does not want to decide about your medical treatment.

You should enter all the assigned agents’ full names and contacts into the form.

Limit the Actions of an Agent

Even though you trust the agent’s decision regarding your medical treatment, you can limit the scope of possible treatments. In line 1.2, you can write the medical activities that you do not want to be applied to you.

Choose the Terms of the Form’s Validity

You can make an agent responsible for your treatment right after signing the form or after the physician states your inability to make decisions. Put a checkmark to the box in line 1.3 if you want to allow an agent to choose your treatment after signing the document. Otherwise, leave it empty.

Express Your Opinion about Organ Donation

In line 1.5, you can enter your preferences about the donation of organs.

Fill in Your Preferences About End-Of-Life Decisions

Choose one of the options in line 2.1 about treatment when your health is in a terminal condition. Also, you can add descriptions of pain relief processes and other preferences in lines 2.2 and 2.3.

Select the Purposes of Organs Donation

In the third part of the form, you can state your opinion about the donation of organs.

Provide Information about the Primary Physician

If you want to assign a primary physician for your medical treatment, you can add information about this person to the fourth part of the form. Enter the name and contacts of the chosen doctor.