For a health care power of attorney to be legally binding, you must (sign and date) the document (in the presence of two witnesses). The document must also be certified by a notary public. There are certain legal limitations on who can act as a health care agent and witness. The medical power of attorney is a designation given to a person that allows him or her to handle decisions related to health care on behalf of the patient.
The director may select, depending on the state, up to two (or three) health care agents to act on your behalf. The agent you select will be responsible for making decisions based on your health care situation. The agent's powers come into effect after the principal becomes incapacitated or unable to make decisions for himself. Step 5 - In Section V, if the power of attorney will have a termination period, check the box and initials with the expiration date of the form.
For example, if you had aphasia after a stroke, you may be fully aware, but you may have difficulty communicating with your caregivers. The health care power of attorney helps people who are unable to communicate to exercise their wishes regarding their medical care and treatment. The power of attorney for health care plays a vital role both during periodic illnesses and at the end of life. It can be of great help to your agent if you also have a living will or living will provisions in the power of attorney to provide guidance on what you would like.
A medical power of attorney allows a person to select their preferred treatment options with the use of choosing an agent to carry out their wishes. If the patient, for example, only wants to grant powers related to non-life-threatening medical conditions. With a medical power of attorney, you can designate someone to make health care decisions for you if you become unable to make those decisions yourself. Whenever the agent performs his duties under the medical power of attorney, he shall be required to carry a signed copy or an original.
A power of attorney for health care may be as broad as possible or may limit the type of decisions a person can make. We can guide you through the steps of creating a comprehensive health care plan and making the process as easy as possible for you and your family.
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