Although India recognised the concept of a living will back in 2018 through a Supreme Court judgment, many people still don’t know how to make one. To help with this, a Mumbai hospital has started a weekly clinic to guide patients and families in preparing the legal document, as reported by TOI.
The living will clinic began last week at Hinduja Hospital in Mahim. It is being led by senior neurologist Dr Roop Gursahani, who has been part of the ‘dying with dignity’ movement for over ten years.
Palliative care expert Dr Smriti Khanna, who manages the clinic, told TOI, “The courts shared a simplified version of the living will in 2023, but many people are still unaware of it.” She added that the clinic aims to increase public awareness and help more people understand and complete this important process.
A living will, also known as an advanced life directive, allows people to state in advance the kind of medical treatment they want, or don’t want, if they become seriously ill or unconscious. It covers choices like whether to be put on a ventilator or to receive CPR.
In early 2024, Mumbai-based gynaecologist Dr Nikhil Datar became one of the first to register his living will. He then approached the Bombay High Court, which directed the Maharashtra government to appoint custodians for such documents in every district. The state now has 413 custodians, including two in Mumbai.
“There is a government resolution on this, but many people don’t know how to access it,” Dr Datar told TOI. “We now need to make sure this information is widely available.”
According to Dr Gursahani, three types of people are showing interest in living wills: healthy youngsters worried about getting stuck in a vegetative state, elderly individuals who’ve had a recent health scare, and patients with chronic illnesses receiving palliative care.
“The living will has made conversations around end-of-life care more normal among those receiving palliative care,” Dr Khanna said. She added that many people fear the ICU simply because they don’t understand what it involves. “Once we explain things like ventilator use or central lines, they begin to understand what they’re agreeing to. It helps them make better decisions about their advanced care.”
TOI also shared the story of an 80-year-old man with heart and lung issues who made his living will with the help of the clinic. He wanted to live long enough to attend his granddaughter’s wedding. After discussions, he agreed to be put on a ventilator for up to five days, but he refused resuscitation for heart problems, having seen the harsh effects of CPR on another patient.
The Hinduja clinic operates every Saturday by appointment. It provides counselling and helps people draft their living wills. Once the document is ready, it is notarised with two witnesses, and copies are sent to the custodian, the person’s family, and their doctors. The clinic also plans to upload draft templates and step-by-step instructions online soon.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has until mid-August to launch a special online portal for living wills, following orders from the Bombay High Court. “It should work like the marriage registration portal,” said Dr Datar.
Inputs from TOI
The living will clinic began last week at Hinduja Hospital in Mahim. It is being led by senior neurologist Dr Roop Gursahani, who has been part of the ‘dying with dignity’ movement for over ten years.
Palliative care expert Dr Smriti Khanna, who manages the clinic, told TOI, “The courts shared a simplified version of the living will in 2023, but many people are still unaware of it.” She added that the clinic aims to increase public awareness and help more people understand and complete this important process.
A living will, also known as an advanced life directive, allows people to state in advance the kind of medical treatment they want, or don’t want, if they become seriously ill or unconscious. It covers choices like whether to be put on a ventilator or to receive CPR.
In early 2024, Mumbai-based gynaecologist Dr Nikhil Datar became one of the first to register his living will. He then approached the Bombay High Court, which directed the Maharashtra government to appoint custodians for such documents in every district. The state now has 413 custodians, including two in Mumbai.
“There is a government resolution on this, but many people don’t know how to access it,” Dr Datar told TOI. “We now need to make sure this information is widely available.”
According to Dr Gursahani, three types of people are showing interest in living wills: healthy youngsters worried about getting stuck in a vegetative state, elderly individuals who’ve had a recent health scare, and patients with chronic illnesses receiving palliative care.
“The living will has made conversations around end-of-life care more normal among those receiving palliative care,” Dr Khanna said. She added that many people fear the ICU simply because they don’t understand what it involves. “Once we explain things like ventilator use or central lines, they begin to understand what they’re agreeing to. It helps them make better decisions about their advanced care.”
TOI also shared the story of an 80-year-old man with heart and lung issues who made his living will with the help of the clinic. He wanted to live long enough to attend his granddaughter’s wedding. After discussions, he agreed to be put on a ventilator for up to five days, but he refused resuscitation for heart problems, having seen the harsh effects of CPR on another patient.
The Hinduja clinic operates every Saturday by appointment. It provides counselling and helps people draft their living wills. Once the document is ready, it is notarised with two witnesses, and copies are sent to the custodian, the person’s family, and their doctors. The clinic also plans to upload draft templates and step-by-step instructions online soon.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has until mid-August to launch a special online portal for living wills, following orders from the Bombay High Court. “It should work like the marriage registration portal,” said Dr Datar.
Inputs from TOI
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