For many people, the idea of talking to an estate planning lawyer seems morbid, since the main topic of discussion most likely would be, what do you want to happen after your death? But that morbid feeling can, and should, be pushed aside in favor of responsibility, proactivity, and good old-fashioned common sense: because one of the most important reasons to consult an estate planning lawyer is to make arrangements for what you would like to happen during your lifetime, and particularly, at the end of your life. Yes, California laws do allow you to have a say in who will take care of you and your affairs, if needed, during your lifetime. And what’s more, California is among the many states that now allow you to have a say in where you would like to spend your final days.

This form, known as a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a type of advance medical directive that can be included in your estate plan. This form, which is recorded/registered with the state, is a medical order, and must, by law, be followed. This distinguishes it from, say, a written or verbal “wish” expressed to a family member. The POLST clearly expresses a person’s wishes as to what forms of treatment or care they would want or not want under certain conditions. Recently, the POLST has also been utilized to declare a person’s desire to spend his or her final days and die at home, rather than be transferred to a hospital or other facility.

Though some people may associate the POLST with a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, a living will, or even a Power of Attorney for Health Care, which are perhaps better-known advance directives, the POLST contains far more detail in terms of treatments and medical care than those other documents. It is considered by many to be a much more comprehensive, even definitive directive for what is known as end-of-life care.

As an experienced estate planning attorney, I heartily encourage you to do some serious thinking about your wishes concerning your quality of life, while you are healthy and able to make your own decisions. If you are ready to proceed with developing a personalized estate plan that includes advance directives, want to update existing documents, or simply have questions about any of these matters, please give me a call, and we can set up a time to meet. We can be reached by calling 818.956.9200.

Glendale Location

616 E. Glenoaks Boulevard, Suite 203

Glendale, CA 91207

Sherman Oaks Location

15303 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 900

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403