If You Can Not Make These Decisions, Who Will?
A health care power of attorney is a legal document that authorizes another person to make health care decisions for you if you do not have the capacity to make informed health care decisions for yourself.
How does it work:
- It names an individual you trust to make a wide variety of health care decisions for you at any time you cannot do so for yourself such as approving treatment, surgery and changing doctors.
- It does not require a patient to be dying.
- Often a spouse or relative is selected to act on your behalf when you cannot because they know you well enough to know what you would want to be done.
- It only becomes effective when you are temporarily or permanently unable to make your own decisions regarding treatment.
- Requires the person you appoint to make decisions that are consistent with your wishes.
- Will not overrule a living will in the event that you have both documents.
- Permits you to specify that if you are in a permanently unconscious state that you do not want to be kept alive by a feeding tube, or if you are connected to a feeding tube that it be withdrawn.
