Minnesota Statutory Health Care Living Will

Notice: 
    This is an important legal document.  Before signing this document, you should know these important facts: 
    (a) This document gives your health care providers or your designated proxy the power and guidance to make health care decisions according to your wishes when you are in a terminal condition and cannot do so.  This document may include what kind of treatment you want or do not want and under what circumstances you want these decisions to be made.  You may state where you want or do not want to receive any treatment. 
    (b) If you name a proxy in this document and that person agrees to serve as your proxy, that person has a duty to act consistently with your wishes.  If the proxy does not know your wishes, the proxy has the duty to act in your best interests. If you do not name a proxy, your health care providers have a duty to act consistently with your instructions or tell you that they are unwilling to do so. 
    (c) This document will remain valid and in effect until and unless you amend or revoke it.  Review this document periodically to make sure it continues to reflect your preferences.  You may amend or revoke the living will at any time by notifying your health care providers. 
    (d) Your named proxy has the same right as you have to examine your medical records and to consent to their disclosure for purposes related to your health care or insurance unless you limit this right in this document. 
    (e) If there is anything in this document that you do not understand, you should ask for professional help to have it explained to you.  

 TO MY FAMILY, DOCTORS, AND ALL THOSE CONCERNED WITH MY CARE: 

    I, ______________________________, born on ______________________  (birthdate), being an adult of sound mind, willfully and voluntarily make this statement as directive to be followed if I am in a terminal condition and become unable to participate in decisions regarding my health care.  I understand that my health care providers are legally bound to act consistently with my wishes, within the limits of reasonable medical practice and other applicable law.  I also understand that I have the right to make medical and health care decisions for myself as long as I am able to do so and to revoke this living will at any time. 
    (1) The following are my feelings and wishes regarding my health care (you may state the circumstances under which this living will applies): 

 _____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

(2) I particularly want to have all appropriate health care that will help in the following ways (you may give instructions for care you do want): 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (3) I particularly do not want the following (you may list specific treatment you do not want in certain circumstances): 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (4) I particularly want to have the following kinds of life-sustaining treatment if I am diagnosed to have a terminal condition (you may list the specific types of life-sustaining treatment that you do want if you have a terminal condition): 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (5) I particularly do not want the following kinds of life-sustaining treatment if I am diagnosed to have a terminal condition (you may list the specific types of life-sustaining treatment that you do not want if you have a terminal condition): 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (6) I recognize that if I reject artificially administered sustenance, then I may die of dehydration or malnutrition rather than from my illness or injury.  The following are my feelings and wishes regarding artificially administered sustenance should I have a terminal condition (you may indicate whether you wish to receive food and fluids given to you in some other way than by mouth if you have a terminal condition): 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (7) Thoughts I feel are relevant to my instructions.  (You may, but need not, give your religious beliefs, philosophy, or other personal values that you feel are important.  You may also state preferences concerning the location of your care.) 

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

    (8) Proxy Designation.  (If you wish, you may name someone to see that your wishes are carried out, but you do not have to do this.  You may also name a proxy without including specific instructions regarding your care.  If you name a proxy, you should discuss your wishes with that person.)
    If I become unable to communicate my instructions, I designate the following person(s) to act on my behalf consistently with my instructions, if any, as stated in this document.  Unless I write instructions that limit my proxy's authority, my proxy has full power and authority to make health care decisions for me.  If a guardian or conservator of the person is to be appointed for me, I nominate my proxy named in this document to act as guardian or conservator of my person. 

    Name:  __________________________ 
    Address:  ______________________________
    Phone Number:  _________________________
    Relationship:  (If any) ____________________

If the person I have named above refuses or is unable or unavailable to act on my behalf, or if I revoke that person's authority to act as my proxy, I authorize the following person to do so: 

    Name:  __________________________
    Address:  ______________________________ 
    Phone Number:  _________________________
    Relationship:  (If any) ____________________

    I understand that I have the right to revoke the appointment of the persons named above to act on my behalf at any time by communicating that decision to the proxy or my health care provider. 

    (9) Organ Donation After Death.  (If you wish, you may indicate whether you want to be an organ donor upon your death.)  Initial the statement which expresses your wish:
 
    ______  In the event of my death, I would like to donate my organs.  I understand that to become an organ donor, I must be declared brain dead.  My organ function may be maintained artificially on a breathing machine, (i.e., artificial ventilation), so that my organs can be removed. 

    Limitations or special wishes:  (If any) ____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

    I understand that, upon my death, my next of kin may be asked permission for donation.  Therefore, it is in my best interests to inform my next of kin about my decision ahead of time and ask them to honor my request. 

    I (have) (have not) agreed in another document or on another form to donate some or all of my organs when I die. 

    _______ I do not wish to become an organ donor upon my death. 

    DATE:  _____________________ 

    SIGNED: _________________________

    STATE OF ________________ 
    COUNTY OF _________________

Subscribed, sworn to, and acknowledged before me by _____________________ on this ________ day of _______________, _________
 
_______________________
NOTARY PUBLIC

OR 

    (Sign and date here in the presence of two adult witnesses, neither of whom is entitled to any part of your estate under a will or by operation of law, and neither of whom is your proxy.) 
    I certify that the declarant voluntarily signed this living will in my presence and that the declarant is personally known to me.  I am not named as a proxy by the living will, and to the best of my knowledge, I am not entitled to any part of the estate of the declarant under a will or by operation of law. 

 Witness ___________________
Address ________________________________________________ 

 Witness ___________________
Address ________________________________________________ 

 Reminder:  Keep the signed original with your personal papers. Give signed copies to your doctors, family, and proxy.