Planning is important in every phase of our lives, but it becomes especially important when it comes to our health care late in life. For most of us, there are important decisions that will need to be made at a time when our health may be failing, and we may not be in a situation where we can think rationally about the issues that are facing us. That’s why it’s important to consider these issues in advance, and set up legal safeguards so that our desires are carried out.
We can accomplish these goals with advance health care directives. These are legal documents that specify what our wishes are in various areas, and who we want to make decisions for us if we are unable to make them ourselves. Here are two examples.
- Health Care Power of Attorney. Also known as a healthcare proxy, this is a document that names someone you designate to carry out your decisions regarding your medical care if you are unable to do so yourself. The person has your permission to make decisions about what medical treatment you will receive — or, if you won’t receive any further treatment at all.
- Living Will. A living will is a document that spells out exactly what your wishes are in regards to your medical care, so that there is no doubt about what you want at the end of your life. There are many kinds of living wills, and some of them only go into effect if you are in a terminal condition, where a decision has to be made about using treatment to artificially prolong your life. There are various governmental regulations about living wills, and it’s good to get legal advice to make sure you are complying with the ones in your state.
If you or someone close to you need more information about legal documents that can help with end-of- life issues, get expert legal advice by contacting Grissom Law, LLC at 678-781- 9230 or email us at sgrissom@grissomlawfirm.com to schedule an appointment.
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This Blog/Web Site is made available for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide legal advice. By using this blog site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and Grissom Law, LLC.