Health Care Power of Attorney

Many people appoint someone as their health care

power of attorney

in case something should happen to them and they can not longer or for a limited time, cannot make health care decisions for themselves. Sometimes a person is in an accident or has health problems that might prevent them from making informed decisions about their health. If this is the case it is good to have someone you can trust to make the decisions for you. Sometimes there are health procedures, medications, or treatments that might need to be administered and you are unconscious or kept medicated so you can not make the decisions for yourself. You need someone (a family member or very good friend) you can trust your life to make the decisions for you. It has to be someone that you know will see that your wishes are carried out if the need should arise to make a decision to take you off of life support or to make wise decisions as to treatments and medications to improve your health. If you should die, you need to have it written down what your wishes are concerning the donating of body parts. You can get a free health care proxy form and print it off of the internet and you can fill in all of your thoughts and wishes as far as your health is concerned and what you want done. Have the proxy signed by two witnesses and appoint someone as your agent to speak up for you should you become unable to speak for yourself. Make sure it is someone who is strong enough to stand up for you and make sure your wishes are carried out. In many cases it might be better if it is a friend and not a family member. Sometimes a family member might have second thoughts because they are too close to you to make an informed decision for you or give in to another’s opinion that might not be at all what you want. They have to be ready to put their personal feelings aside and do what is right for you.

Many people do not have a power of attorney because they do not think they will ever need one but one never knows when their health might fail them or they are involved in an accident. A health care power of attorney is a good idea and it does not cost anything to appoint one. There are free forms online for the forms for each state so you can print one off and fill it out. There will have to be witnesses sign it and they cannot be the one you appoint as your power of attorney agent. Hopefully you will never have to use it but you will have peace of mind knowing your wishes will be carried out like you want them to if you should become unable to make your own decisions. This power of attorney form is not permanent if you should get well or if you should want to change the agent you chose.