NEW YORK (CNNfn) -
The ensuing controversy over Terri Schiavo's right to live, or die, has garnered national attention.
The 39-year-old woman has been on life support for more than nine years since a heart attack cut off oxygen to her brain. And while her husband says she would want life support terminated, her parents say she is responsive and should be revived.
"Many people are seeing and have been watching the Terri Schiavo case and they see what a tragedy it is and heart breaking it is for all of those involved, all of those who care about her and they are saying I don't want that same thing to happen to my family," said Paul Malley, the president of Aging with Dignity.
Experts say you can protect your loved ones from the emotional pain and suffering associated with such dilemmas with a document called a living will.
Tip 1: Understand your options
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 CNNfn's Gerri Willis shares five tips on what you need to know about signing a living will.
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A living will tells your doctor and family your desires for medical care if you are unable to relay them yourself. Specifically, it will determine the degree to which doctors will go to keep you alive in the event you become incapacitated.
Experts recommend living wills for everyone older than 18. More than 60 percent of people above age 60 are choosing to make a living will, but only 30 percent of baby boomers have one.
For more information on living wills, visit www.agingwithdignity.org and check out their "Five Wishes" list.
Tip 2: Choose an advocate
Pick someone you can rely on to staunchly advocate your wishes and the execution of your living will. You may want to choose a back up proxy or health care agent in case something happens to your first choice.
Tip 3: Bulletproof your choices
Decide with you family, or possibly minister or rabbi, exactly what kind of medical care, or advance directives, you will choose. Be as clear as possible about what you expect; choices include a do-not-resuscitate order, which means that you would order a doctor not to start emergency procedures to help you to breathe or restart your heart, or decisions regarding the type of life-support care you'll be willing to accept, i.e. dialysis, feeding tubes.
Tip 4: Write the will
You can contact an attorney to write a living will or you can put one together yourself with relatively little cost. Download a free copy of a prospective will at www.partnershipforcaring.org or call 800-989-WILL to order a hard copy version for $10.
Each state has different laws about living wills so consult an attorney beforehand. You can find elder care attorneys in your area at www.naela.com.
Tip 5: Keep your will up to date
Review the will once a year and update or make the changes necessary. And don't stash it in your drawer; make copies and give to agent and family and doctor.
Gerri Willis is the personal finance editor for CNN Business News. Willis also is co-host of CNNfn's The FlipSide, weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (ET). E-mail comments to 5tips@cnnfn.com
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