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 Pennsylvania, a living will is legally recognized as an Advance Health Care Directive under the Pennsylvania Advance Health Care Directive Act. This document allows an individual, known as the principal, to outline their preferences for medical treatment in the event that they are unable to communicate their wishes due to a medical emergency or incapacitation. The living will can include instructions on whether to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatment if the individual is in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious. Pennsylvania law also recognizes Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, which instruct medical personnel not to perform CPR if the patient's breathing or heart stops. It is important for individuals to ensure that their living wills and any other advance directives comply with Pennsylvania's specific legal requirements to be valid. These documents should be discussed with an attorney to ensure they accurately reflect the individual's wishes and are executed properly.