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 Alaska, a living will is recognized under the state's statutes as an Advance Health Care Directive. This legal document allows an individual, known as the principal, to outline their preferences for medical treatment in the event that they are unable to communicate due to a medical emergency. The directive can include instructions on the administration, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments if the principal is in a terminal condition or in a state that is considered irreversible. Alaska law also recognizes Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, which are separate from Advance Health Care Directives and specifically address the desire not to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. These documents are part of the state's health care decision law, which is designed to ensure that individuals' health care wishes are respected even when they are no longer able to express them. It is advisable for individuals to discuss their wishes with an attorney and their health care provider to ensure that their directives are clear and will be followed according to Alaska law.