A Living Will is a declaration to physicians that you wish life-sustaining procedures to be withheld or withdrawn if you are in an incurable condition and your death is imminent or if you are in a persistent vegetative state. It is a document that outlines your wishes to your physicians and the patient advocate (agent) designated in your health care Power of Attorney.
A Power of Attorney for Health Care appoints an agent to make most decisions related to your health care if and when you are unable to make those decisions yourself. If you specifically grant the power, your agent can decide to withhold or withdraw non-orally ingested nutritional support and fluid maintenance, admit you to a nursing home or community-based residential facility, and make other health care decisions.
If you have both a Living Will and a Power of Attorney for Health Care, the Power of Attorney for Health Care controls if there is any conflict between the two.