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An Iowa Living Will is a legal document that allows a person to declare their healthcare desires if they fall into an incapacitated state or during their end-of-life care. Although all adults have the right to choose whether or not they consent to various treatments and procedures, a living will speaks for an individual when he or she cannot speak for themselves. In Iowa, all living will documents must conform to Chapter 144a of the Iowa Code. This code states that the individual specifying their wishes, known as a Principal or Declarant, must be at least 18 years old, and must sign in the presence of two (2) witnesses. Furthermore, at least one of the witnesses cannot be related to them.
The Iowa Living Will document can be completed fairly quickly as long as you have the proper information. The first step that the creator of the document will take as the Principal is to establish their identity by providing their first and last name, address, and phone number. Next, the Principal will appoint his or her Advocate by providing his or her full name, address, telephone number. The next section of the document will detail the Principal's healthcare preferences. These consents and refusals will range from procedures like blood transfusions, CPR, and feeding tubes. Next, the Principal will detail all of his or her wishes regarding specific wishes in various circumstances. Once all of the Principal's wishes have been recorded, he or she will then sign and date the document in the presence of two (2) witnesses who will also sign the document before it will take effect.