Living will
Provision for emergencies
Illnesses or accidents can mean that people can no longer express their wishes or ideas. Then others, such as relatives, legal guardians or doctors, must decide for you. To ensure that your wishes can still be followed in such situations, it makes sense to draw up a living will.
Safeguarding the right to self-determination
In your living will, you can specify how you want to be treated medically or whether you want to be treated at all in certain situations in the event that you become incapable of making decisions. In this way, you can influence subsequent medical treatment and thus preserve your right to self-determination, even if you are no longer responsive and/or capable of making decisions at the time of treatment.
Information and advice
Information and formulation aids
The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection offers valuable information and formulation aids in the brochure Patient Decree.
Consultation by phone or in person
You can obtain advice by telephone or in person from the Independent Patient Counseling Service Germany.
Published on: 25.03.2022 - Last modified on: 06.08.2025
