2) Make copies of the duly signed document and hand them over to your health care surrogate, immediate family members, close friends, and health care provider. More often than not, a copy of the living will is placed in the medical records so that members of the health team would know of its existence.
3) Be sure to speak with your health care surrogate, doctor(s), family and close friends about your preferences with regard to medical treatment. Talk about your health care wishes and the factors that helped shape them.
4) In case you want to change certain instructions in your living will, or perhaps you wish to add something, you have to fill out a new document for that.
5) Keep in mind that you have the right to revoke your Louisiana living will at any time.
6) Understand that the Louisiana Declaration will not take effect in emergency situations. The personnel of an ambulance are duty-bound to provide CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), unless they are furnished with a separate order that indicates otherwise. This special order – also known as "non-hospital DNR order" – is intended for individuals whose ill health presents a very slim likelihood of benefiting from the life-saving procedure.
In addition, the order must hold the signature of the person's attending physician. An instruction to withhold CPR in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest is also contained in the order. At present, not all states have statutes that authorize "non-hospital DNR orders".
Certain conditions, however, must be satisfied in order for a Louisiana living will to be regarded as legally binding. For instance, with regard to age, you need to be at least 18 years old to be qualified to draw up your own living will.
Aside from that, you need to be of sound mind when making this legal document.
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