For the longest of time, written wills were the go-to method for granting a patients end-of-life wishes, yet now videos are becoming more prominently used, originally reported by Times Herald-Record. Today in society, we take written wills very serious when it comes to determining next step decisions after someone passes, but we can’t be too sure that they were in the right state of mind when writing it, or that someone didn’t influence what they wrote. Now, several companies have launched creating video testimonials for patients with intent to help convey their last wishes in the most clear and ethical manner.
70-year-old Wendy Forman always thought about how she would communicate her wishes if she were to become very ill and unable to speak. She had very strict measures when it came to the lengths they should go when prolonging her life. Explaining her intentions written is difficult and could be misunderstood. When she heard of the new method of explaining herself through a video, she was excited. It was exactly what she had needed.
There are not that many U.S. organizations that offer these video testimonial services to supplement and support written wills, but now they are in 26 different states. Of course, since the access to technology is as simple as clicking a button on our phone, DIY (do-it-yourself) is a convenient and free option.
Video testimonials like these will give families reassurance upon their loved one’s death that can let them know exactly how they felt when making their will and what their wishes were. It will give everyone confidence moving forward knowing they could honor their loved ones to their best abilities.
Prior to the availability of a video testimonial style wills, Wendy wrote in her will to “do nothing” to keep her alive come a medical crisis. While that seems fairly straight forward, that isn’t exactly what she meant and she is happy now to have the opportunity to elaborate and make sense of your note.
While companies like MyDirectives are working to advance this idea and hope to implement them into patient records, there’s still a lot that needs to be done so everyone has access to it. However, if you’re eager, making your own video with a phone or camera for your records can get you started.
