Living will

[R V Rao]

Caution:

Such of those members who are doing not like words like death or will or hospitals and dignity in dying

are requested to avoid reading further. If you have any positive suggestion you are welcome. You may also point out any factual lapse, additions and deletions.

I made this forward after witnessing the agony and pain of those whose life ended with financial ruination.i firmly believe life as reality. Regards 

Below is a complete draft of your Living Will (Advance Medical Directive), written in clear legal form as accepted under Indian guidelines (as per the Supreme Court’s 2018 and 2023 directions). It includes your particulars, space for witnesses, and follows Tamil Nadu procedure.

---

🕊️ LIVING WILL / ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE

I, R. V. Rao, aged 88 years, residing at Flat 4, Kaveri Apartments, 10 Sunderarajan Street, Abhiramapuram, Chennai 600 018, being of sound mind and good mental health, do hereby voluntarily execute this Living Will / Advance Medical Directive on this ___ day of __________ 20___, out of my free will and without any coercion, undue influence, or pressure.

1. Purpose

This Living Will expresses my clear instructions regarding medical treatment to be administered to me in the event that I become terminally ill, or am in a permanent vegetative state, and am unable to communicate my wishes.

---

2. My Medical Wishes

If at any time I am suffering from an illness that is:

incurable, and

terminal in nature, or results in a permanent vegetative state,

and where my attending doctors are of the opinion that there is no reasonable hope of recovery, I hereby direct that:

a. I do not wish to be put on artificial life-support systems (such as ventilator, cardiac resuscitation, or feeding tubes) merely to prolong biological life.

b. I wish to receive only palliative care, including pain relief, comfort measures, and dignity in my remaining days.

c. I do not consent to any medical treatment that only delays the natural process of dying.

d. I authorize my treating doctors and the hospital’s medical board to act in accordance with these directions.

---

3. Nominated Representative

In the event that I become incapable of making decisions, I nominate the following person to interact with doctors and ensure that my wishes are respected:

Name: __________________________

Address: ________________________

Contact No.: ____________________

Relationship: ____________________

(If the nominee is unavailable, my treating doctors may proceed in accordance with this directive.)

---

4. Declaration

I make this declaration voluntarily and in full possession of my mental faculties. I understand its implications and confirm that it represents my free and informed decision.

---

5. Signatures

Signature of Declarant: _____________________

Name: R. V. Rao

Date: _____________________

Place: Chennai

Witness 1:

Name __________________________________

Address _______________________________

Signature _____________________________

Date __________________________________

Witness 2:

Name __________________________________

Address _______________________________

Signature _____________________________

Date __________________________________

---

📘 Registration Procedure in Tamil Nadu (2025)

1. Prepare two identical copies of the above Living Will on plain A4 paper.

2. Affix a recent passport-size photo of yourself on each copy.

3. Visit the Sub-Registrar Office nearest your residence (for you, Mylapore or Teynampet Sub-Registrar Office would be applicable).

4. Carry:

Original Aadhaar card and one additional ID (PAN/Passport).

Address proof (ration card, Aadhaar, or electricity bill).

Two adult witnesses with ID proof.

5. Ask to register the document as a “Living Will / Advance Medical Directive.”

The Sub-Registrar will record thumb impressions, photographs, and witness signatures.

One stamped copy will be returned to you.

6. Give photocopies to your nominated representative, family members, and treating hospital/doctor.

7. Optionally: keep a scanned copy with your family physician and note its existence in your personal medical file.

[Surendra Varma]

In contrast to the Western culture, Indian culture is highly
family-centric and collectivistic. Major life decisions for someone
hospitalized and battling life are often made collectively by the
family, particularly the elders, ignoring the individual's living
will, even if there is one. To those staunch believers in the karma
theory and that birth and death are determined by God, a living will
is just a piece of paper.

When one writes a living will, one does know which hospital one will
be treated in, so the attending doctors will not be aware of one’s
will unless it is shared by the family members with the hospital.
Which they may not.

There is also a hidden threat for the will to be misused by those
wanting the sick person to die faster so they can inherit his/her
assets. The doctors may not, therefore, necessarily follow the will.



What is important is to understand the prognosis of the ailments a
sick person is going through. A correct prognosis reveals the life
expectancy of a very sick person. Based on that information, it can be
decided whether he or she should be placed on a life support system or
placed under palliative care to die a natural death.

Also, the concept of living will applies only to the affluent, not
to those who do not have resources to buy time to live a bit more.
They find more peace wrapped within the white cloth than when they
were out of it!

Suren

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "societyforservingseniors" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to society4servingse...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/society4servingseniors/CAPVuisW-03-z-MN7Obm8V0bFVVR2fKkyVQzPntGRTtROe6R9DA%40mail.gmail.com.