It won't happen to me.

I'm too busy to worry about a living will.

My family will know what to do.

No one wants to plan for death or incapacitating illness. But, as the emotional legal battle in the Terri Schiavo case made all too clear, people of all ages need to document and communicate clear decisions about the final details of their lives while they are healthy and have time to fully consider their own values and preferences.

Here, Drs. David Doukas and William Reichel help individuals make decisions and communicate their wishes to health care providers and family members and other loved ones.

Drs. Doukas and Reichel use a question-and-answer format to guide readers through the process -- emphasizing the crucial connection between values and treatment preferences. They explain advance directives and the health care decision-making process, including the values history, family covenants, proxies, and proxy negation. The appendix includes resources and Web links for learning about advance directive requirements and obtaining legal forms in all fifty states.

This practical guide helps people navigate the important but often intimidating process of thinking about, and planning for, an uncertain future.

Going through a divorce is always tough, but when a child with special needs is involved it can be especially challenging. This book takes a clear and comprehensive look at every aspect of the legal divorce process, and addresses all of the legal issues that divorcing parents of children with special needs face. The author guides parents through the initial hurdles of choosing the right lawyer for their case, and explains exactly how to work with them to achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned. From agreeing upon child custody arrangements that meet the particular needs of the child, to making provision for child support payments, gathering together the documentation needed to prove a case, and dealing with financial issues such as debts and property distribution, no aspect of divorce is left uncovered. A set of checklists is included to ensure that parents consider everything they need to, and the book concludes with a useful list of further resources. Written by an experienced family lawyer who went through her own divorce when her son, who has autism, was six, this book offers much-needed guidance to divorcing parents of children with a variety of special needs.