http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/index.html LawInfo - Legal Resource Center offers free legal forms and free legal documents that is designed to help consumers and businesses resolve their legal issues http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-if-i-have-more-questions.html If you have additional questions about advance directives, discuss them with your physician and family. A social worker, patient representative or chaplain may be able to assist you, but they cannot provide legal advice. If you have legal questions, you should speak with a lawyer. Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/after-i-complete-an-advance-directive-can-i-r.html Yes. You can revoke your living will or appointment of a health care agent at any time, either orally or in writing and remember to tell your physician and others who have copies of your advance directive. To revoke your designation of a conservator, you can do so either in writing, by destroying the document or by making a new designation that states that earlier designations are revoked. It is advisable to put any revocation in writing. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/can-i-revoke-an-anatomical-gift.html Yes. An anatomical gift may be revoked or changed only by (1) a signed statement; (2) an oral statement in the presence of two witnesses; (3) or by informing your physician if you are in a terminal condition. An anatomical gift may not be revoked after the donor's death. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/do-i-have-the-right-to-information-needed-to.html Yes. Physicians have the responsibility to provide patients with information that can help them to make a decision. Your physician will explain what treatments may help you how each treatment may effect you, that is, how it can help you and what, if any, serious problems or side effects the treatment is likely to cause what may happen if you decide not to receive treatment. Your physician may also recommend what, if any, treatment is appropriate, but the final decision is yours to make. All of this information is provided so you can exercise your right to decide your treatment wisely. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:51:22 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/do-i-have-the-right-to-make-health-care-decis.html Yes. Adult patients in Connecticut have the right to determine what, if any, medical treatment they will receive. As a capable adult, you may agree to treatment that may help you or you may refuse treatment even if the treatment might keep you alive longer. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/do-i-have-to-sign-my-advance-directives-in-fr.html Yes. You must sign the document in the presence of two witnesses in order for any of the different types of advance directives to be valid. The witnesses then sign the form. For the living will and the appointment of health care agent, an optional form is provided in this booklet. It is called a witnesses' affidavit. It is the witnesses' sworn statement that they saw you sign the living will or appointment form and you were of sound mind and it was your free choice to do so. In the event that there is a dispute regarding your living will or appointment of a health care agent, the witnesses` affidavits support its validity. This affidavit requires the use of an attorney or notary public. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/do-i-need-a-lawyer-to-create-an-advance-direc.html No. You do not need a lawyer to create an advance directive. You can use the forms available on this site. However, it is advisable to seek the advice of a qualified attorney before completing or modifying an advance directive. Please note that if you appoint an attorney­in­fact for health care decisions, a notary public or a lawyer must notarize your signature. The optional form called a witnesses' affidavit that is included among the forms in this booklet also requires a notary public or a lawyer to notarize the signature of the witnesses. This form is discussed in more detail in the next section. No other form needs to be notarized. If you have legal questions, you should consult a lawyer. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/if-i-already-have-a-living-will-do-i-need-a-n.html No. Connecticut's living will statutes were revised effective October 1, 1993. If your living will and other advance directives were completed prior to this date, they are valid, but probably look different than the one on this site. On October 1, 1993, a new combined form was created which is contained on this site. However, all other forms remain valid and still can be used. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/if-i-dont-have-an-advance-directive-how-will.html If you are unable to make and communicate your decision concerning your medical care and you do not have a living will, your physician can consult with other persons to determine what your wishes are regarding the withholding or withdrawal of life support.  A durable power of attorney can be made so that your named agent can act on your behalf in the event you become incapacitated.  Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:43:07 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/must-i-have-an-advance-directive.html No. You do not have to make a living will or other type of advance directive to receive medical care or to be admitted to a hospital, nursing home or other health care facility. No person can be denied medical care or admission based on whether or not they have signed a living will or other type of advance directive. If someone refuses to provide you medical care or admit you unless you sign a living will or other type of advance directive, contact the Department of Public Health and Addiction Services in Hartford, Connecticut at 566­5758. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/once-i-complete-an-advance-directive-what-sho.html You should tell the following persons that you have completed an advance directive and give them copies of the directives you have made: your physician; the person(s) you have named as a health care agent or as your attorney­in­fact for health care decisions; anyone who will make the existence of your advance directives known if you cannot do so yourself, such as family members, close friends, your clergy or lawyer. You should also bring copies when you are admitted to a hospital, nursing home or other health care facility. The copies will be made part of your medical record. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-advance-directives-should-i-have.html If you want to be sure that your wishes about your medical care are known if you cannot express them yourself, you should have a living will, a health care agent and an attorney­in­fact for health care decisions. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-a-conservator.html A "conservator of the person" is someone appointed by the Probate Court when the Court finds that a person is incapable of caring for himself/herself including the inability to make decisions about his or her medical care. The conservator of the person has responsibility for the general custody and care of the incapable individual and has the power to give consent for the medical care, treatment and services provided to the incapable person. You can name in advance the person you want the Court to appoint as your conservator if you become incapable of making your own decisions. If you have a conservator, he or she will be consulted in all medical care decisions. If you have a living will, however, the conservator's consent is not required to carry out your wishes as expressed in the living will. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-a-document-of-anatomical-gift.html It is document in which you make a gift of all or any part of your body to take effect upon death. Any adult may make an anatomical gift in writing, including through a will, a donor card or by a statement imprinted or attached to a motor vehicle operator's license. An anatomical gift may be made for the purpose of transplants, therapy, research, medical or dental education, or the advancement of medical or dental science. If you do not limit the gift's purpose to one or some of these uses, the gift can be used for any of these purposes. You may select who receives the gift ­ a hospital, physician, college, or an organ procurement group. You may also specify that the gift be used for transplant or therapy for a particular person. If no one is named to receive the gift, any hospital may do so. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-a-health-care-agent.html A health care agent is a person whom you authorize in writing to convey your wishes concerning whether you wish to withhold or withdraw life support systems. The agent does not become involved in any other treatment decisions. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-a-life-support-system.html A "life support system" is a form of treatment that only delays the time of your death or maintains you in a state of permanent unconsciousness. Life support systems may include among other things devices such as respirators and dialysis; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); food and fluids supplied by artificial means, such as feeding tubes and intravenous fluids. It does not include normal feeding and fluids, such as by hand or straw or medications such as antibiotics in special circumstances. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-a-living-will.html A living will is a document that states whether you wish to have administered life sustaining procedures or treatment should you be in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-an-advance-directive.html An advance directive is a legal document through which you may provide your directions or wishes as to your medical care. It is used when you are unable to make or communicate your decisions about your medical treatment. It is prepared before any condition or circumstance occurs that causes you to be unable to actively make a decision about your medical care. In Connecticut, there are three types of advance directives, the living will or health care instructions, the appointment of a health care agent the appointment of an attorney­in­fact for health care decisions, also called a durable power of attorney for health care decisions. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/what-is-an-attorney-in-fact-for-health-care-d.html An attorney-­in-­fact for health care decisions is a person whom you name in a document called a durable power of attorney, to make medical decisions other than withdrawal of life support systems on your behalf should you become unable to make or communicate such decisions yourself. Your attorney-­in-­fact may make certain decisions about aspects of your medical treatment, subject to any conditions stated within the document itself and any applicable legal restrictions.  Areas which may be subject to conditions include withdrawal of life support systems, withdrawal of food and fluids, medical treatment designed solely to maintain your physical comfort, or other matters. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:39:17 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/who-can-i-name-as-my-health-care-agent-or-as.html You can name the same person to be your health care agent and as your attorney­in­fact for health care decisions or to be your conservator. The following persons cannot be named your health care agent: your physician if you are a patient at a hospital or nursing home or if you have applied for admission, the operators, administrators, and employees of the facility, an administrator or employee of a government agency responsible for paying for your medical care. Other than these restrictions, you can name anyone you feel is appropriate to serve as your health care agent. Although these restrictions only apply to the health care agent, it may be a good idea to follow them in deciding who should hold your durable power of attorney or be named as conservator. Of course, you should speak to the person whom you intend to name and be sure of his or her willingness to serve. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:51:22 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/who-can-witness-my-signing-of-an-advance-dire.html The person who you appoint to be your health care agent or as your conservator cannot be a witness to your signature of the appointment form. In general, it is a good idea not to have the person you name as your attorney­in­fact as a witness. Otherwise, except in a few unique situations, Connecticut law does not state who may or may not be a witness to your advance directive. Connecticut Estate Planning FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Estate-Planning/Connecticut/will-i-receive-medication-for-pain-if-i-have.html Yes. A living will does not affect the provision of pain medication or care designed solely to maintain your physical comfort (for example, care designed to maintain your circulation or health of your skin and muscles). This type of care will be provided whenever appropriate. 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