Healthcare Directive
An Advanced Health Care Directive or Living Will is a document which expresses your preferences regarding treatment if you’re faced with a serious accident or illness. This legal document specifically states the types of medical treatments and life-sustaining measures you want and don’t want, such as mechanical breathing (respiration and ventilation), tube feeding, or resuscitation. Living wills and other advance Health Care Directives aren’t just for older adults. Unexpected end-of-life situations can happen at any age, so it’s important for all adults to have Living Will or Advance Health Care Directive in place. This document expresses what you want, but does not give anyone the authority to speak for you if you are incapacitated.
Power of Attorney
The Health Care Power of Attorney (Health Care Proxy) provides authority for someone to make health care decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to make them. This document, as well as a living will, is extremely important to have in place if you become unable to make your health care decisions for yourself. Family conflicts and potential court intervention can be avoided if you have both the Living Will/Health Care Directive and Health Care Power of Attorney prepared or put in place.
A Durable Power of Attorney provides authority for someone to assume responsibility for managing financial matters on your behalf if you become incapacitated or unable to physically or mentally handle your affairs. This document is important, as it will allow a person of your choosing to sell, invest, spend and otherwise manage your finances for specific circumstances or time frames identified in the document. In the event you are incapacitated, and are unable to manage your financial affairs, the Durable Power of Attorney will allow another individual to handle your financial issues, without the need to request permission from the Court.
If you have questions regarding a Powers of Attorney or Healthcare Directives, contact us today.