Living Will: From 4 Different Sources
A written declaration, signed by an adult of sound mind, that instructs the person’s doctor to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment if he or she suffers from an incurable and terminal condition.
In the , such a document has no legal force, but doctors will normally respect patients’ wishes.
See “advance directive”.
Also known as an advance directive or advance statement about medical treatment. This is a means of exercising choice in advance for patients who suspect that they will suffer mental impairment and become unable to speak for themselves. Advance statements can have legal force if made by an informed and competent adult, clearly refusing some or all future medical treatment once that individual has irrevocably lost mental capacity. Some statements intend to give other instructions, such as requesting certain treatments: these can be helpful in clarifying the patients’s wishes, but only a clear refusal of treatment is legally binding in most of the UK. (In Scotland, patients have some legal powers to use an advance statement to nominate another person to act as a proxy decision-maker.)
As there is no statute de?ning the scope and limits of advance statements in the UK, their legal status depends principally on case precedents. As well as written documents, competent patients can make equally valid advance oral refusals which should be recorded in the medical notes. Some health professionals or health facilities may have a conscientious objection (see ETHICS) to the concept of withdrawing life-prolonging treatment from incompetent patients, even at the patient’s advance request. Such objections need to be made known to patients well in advance of a living will becoming eligible for implementation, so that the patient can make other arrangements. The British Medical Association has issued a code of practice on the subject; this provides widely approved guidance on various facets of drafting, storing, witnessing and implementing advance statements. It is also dealt with in the GMC document on withdrawing treatment.
see advance directive, decision, or statement.
See “residential care services”; “assisted living facility”.... assisted living
A circle of arteries at the base of the brain, formed by the junction of the basilar, posterior cerebral, internal carotid and anterior cerebral arteries. Congenital defects may occur in these arteries and lead to the formation of aneurysm (see ANEURYSM).... circle of willis
(English) From the willow tree; symbol of healing and grace Willo, Willough, Wyllow, Wylow, Wyllo... willow
A concept of functioning – activities of daily living are basic activities that are necessary to independent living, including eating, bathing and toileting. This concept has several assessment tools to determine an individual’s ability to perform the activity with or without assistance. See related “instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)”.... activities of daily living (adl)
Housing that has been specially built for, or changed to a certain standard to accommodate people with disabilities.... adapted living facility / housing
Salix arcticaDescription: The arctic willow is a shrub that never exceeds more than 60 centimeters in height and grows in clumps that form dense mats on the tundra.Habitat and Distribution: The arctic willow is common on tundras in North America. Europe, and Asia. You can also find it in some mountainous areas in temperate regions.Edible Parts: You can collect the succulent, tender young shoots of the arctic willow in early spring. Strip off the outer bark of the new shoots and eat the inner portion raw. You can also peel and eat raw the young underground shoots of any of the various kinds of arctic willow. Young willow leaves are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, containing 7 to 10 times more than an orange.... arctic willow
Establishment which provides accommodation and care for older or disabled persons who cannot live independently but do not need nursing care. Residents are also provided with domestic assistance (meals, laundry, personal care).... assisted living facility / assisted care living facility
Increase to a monthly long-term disability benefit, usually after the first year of payments. May be a flat percentage (e.g. 3%) or tied to changes in inflation.... cost-of-living adjustment (cola)
Living at home without the need for continuous help and with a degree of self determination or control over one’s activities.... independent living
A rental unit in which services are not included as part of the rent, although services may be available on site and may be purchased by residents for an additional fee.... independent living facility
Activities with aspects of cognitive and social functioning, including shopping, cooking, doing housework, managing money and using the telephone. See also “activities of daily living (ADLs)”.... instrumental activities of daily living (iadl)
A genetically determined blood disorder in which the affected person suffers episodes of spontaneous bleeding similar to that occurring in people with HAEMOPHILIA. It may be associated with a lack of FACTOR VIII (see COAGULATION) in the blood. The disorder is inherited as an autosomal dominant gene (see GENETIC DISORDERS).... von willebrand’s disease
Formerly Reader in Phytochemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham. Research interests: secondary metabolites of the Solanaceae and Erythroxylaceae. Principal author of Trease and Evans’ Pharmacognosy. Visiting lecturer, School of Phytotherapy (Herbal Medicine). ... evans, william c. (b.pharm., b.sc., ph.d., f.r. pharm. s)
See living will.... will, living
(ADLs) the tasks of everyday life. Basic ADLs include self-care tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, toileting, and moving. Instrumental ADLs include housework, shopping, managing finances, taking medication, and cooking. Inability to perform ADLs is a practical measure of disability in many disorders; problems are much more prevalent in the elderly.... activities of daily living
(DLA) (in Britain) a state benefit payable to help with the extra costs of looking after a child under the age of 16 with special needs. It has two components: a care component, payable at three rates to children needing help with personal care; and a mobility component, payable at two rates to those aged 3 years or over who need help with walking. The rates depend on the level of help required. DLA for adults aged 16–64 years has been replaced by the *personal independence payment (PIP). People aged over 65 years with a disability and requiring help may be eligible for the attendance allowance.... disability living allowance
(Prader–Willi–Labhart syndrome) a congenital condition that is inherited as an autosomal *dominant trait and is due to an abnormality of chromosome 15 (see imprinting). It is marked by pathological overeating and resulting obesity (affected children often subsequently develop type 2 diabetes), lethargy, short stature, a characteristic facial expression, learning disabilities, and underactivity of the testes or ovaries (*hypogonadism) due to lack of pituitary gonadotrophins. It is a cause of delayed puberty. [A. Prader, H. Willi, and A. Labhart (20th century), Swiss paediatricians]... prader–willi syndrome
a hereditary condition, caused by a defect (a *deletion) in chromosome 7, marked by a characteristic ‘elfin’ facial appearance (including large eyes, a wide mouth, and small chin), *hypercalcaemia, short stature, learning disabilities, and *aortic stenosis. Most affected children are highly sociable and have unusual conversational ability, using a rich and complex vocabulary. The condition can be diagnosed prenatally. [J. C. P. Williams (20th century), British physician]... williams syndrome
a surgical technique of vaginal reconstruction, with the formation of a pouch between the urethra and rectum.... williams vulvovaginoplasty
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