"A Living Will is not a Will at all. Rather, it is your written instructions specifying your healthcare wishes, should you not be able to speak for yourself. It tells medical providers which treatments you do or do not want if you are incapacitated (i.e. in a coma or vegetative state), and unable to make your own decisions. This can include respiration and ventilation, tube feeding and resuscitation.
"The U.S. Living Will Registry was founded in 1996. It is a privately held organization that electronically stores advance directives, organ donor information and contact information, and makes them available to hospitals and health care providers across the country through an automated system. The services were originally offered for free, but are now offered on a fee basis. However, many Providers and Partners still offer the service free of charge to their patients, members, clients, employees and the public.
One time registration is good for life. Registrants received a letter every year, allowing them to update their personal and emergency contact information and to confirm that their advance directive has not been changed or revoked.
Many states also provide free advance directive registries for their individual residents."
“Persistent vegetative state” means a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is: The absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of any kind and an inability to communicate or interact purposefully with the environment.
“Terminal condition” means a condition caused by injury, disease, or illness from which there is no reasonable medical probability of recovery and which, without treatment, can be expected to cause death.
Section 765.101 of the Florida Statues
