A living will—also known as an Advance Health Care Directive—is a document in which the declarant or principal (person making the living will) specifies what kind of medical treatment the declarant does and does not want if the declarant has a medical emergency and is unable to communicate those wishes. A living will may direct health care providers to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatments if the declarant is in a terminal or irreversible condition.

Laws and terminology for documents related to living wills, Advance Health Care Directives, Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs), and other health care documents vary from state to state. These laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the probate code or estates code.

In Colorado, a living will is known as a 'Medical Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions' or an 'Advance Directive.' Under Colorado law, specifically the Colorado End-of-Life Options Act, an individual can create an Advance Directive to outline their wishes regarding medical treatment in the event they are unable to communicate due to a terminal or irreversible condition. This document allows a person to specify whether they want life-sustaining procedures to be withheld or withdrawn, or if they want to receive all possible treatments. Additionally, Colorado residents can include a 'Do Not Resuscitate' (DNR) order in their Advance Directive, which instructs healthcare providers not to perform CPR if the patient's breathing or heartbeat stops. These documents must be signed by the declarant and witnessed or notarized to be legally valid. It's important for individuals to discuss their wishes with their attorney, family, and healthcare providers to ensure their preferences are understood and followed.