The Law Office of Philip Fine

Ohio Living Will Terms

Definitions

Ohio's Living Will Law uses several terms whose meanings are provided below.

Anatomical gift - a donation of all or part of a human body to take effect upon or after death.

Comfort care - any measure taken to diminish pain or discomfort, but not to postpone death. These measures may include the provision of nutrition and/or hydration and any other medical care such as pain medication and turning a patient.

Donor Registry Enrollment Form - a form that has been designed to allow individuals to specifically register their wishes regarding organ, tissue and eye donation with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Donor Registry.

Hydration - fluids that are artificially or technologically administered (e.g., through tubes).

Life-sustaining treatment - any medical procedure, treatment, intervention or other measure that, when administered to you, serves principally to prolong the process of dying.

Nutrition - refers to food that is artificially or technologically administered (e.g., through tubes).

Permanently unconscious - to a reasonable degree of medical certainty: 1) you are irreversibly unaware of yourself or your environment; and 2) there is total loss of cerebral cortical functioning, which results in your having no capacity to experience pain or suffering.

Terminal condition - an irreversible, incurable and untreatable condition caused by disease, illness or injury from which, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty: 1) there can be no recovery; and 2) death is likely to occur within a short period of time if life-sustaining treatment is not administered.