To reduce confusion about advance directives, Georgia combined the directives into one document. Living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care created prior to 2007 are still accepted. After 2007, an Advance Directive for Health Care is the appropriate document in Georgia. If you have not updated your estate plan since 2007, contact a Georgia Wills, Estates and Trusts Attorney to create an updated estate plan.
Advance Directive for Health Care General Information
The Advance Directive for Health Care is a voluntary document that you can include in your estate plan. While it is optional, we recommend that you do create advance directives so that you are sure that your relatives and doctors carry out your wishes upon your death, or carry out your wishes in the event that you suffer from a serious illness and cannot make these decisions on your own. These include life-sustaining procedures such as medications, medical procedures and machines to keep you alive if you are terminal.
Before your agent acts to make end-of-life treatment decisions pursuant to your directive, your doctors must determine that your condition is terminal or that you are in a permanent state of unconsciousness. Completing an Advance Directive for Health Care does not have any impact on any life insurance policy, and it does not authorize euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.
Part One of the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care Form
In the first part of the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care, you can appoint an agent who carries out your health care wishes. This part of the form is the durable power of attorney for health care. When you choose someone, choose wisely. This person will be making medical decisions on your behalf, so you want to choose someone you trust.
If you appoint someone and later change your mind, be sure to update your advance directives as soon as you make that decision. While no one wants to get into an accident that puts you into a situation where you can’t make your own decisions, it does happen, and you want the right person making those decisions for you.
Contact Grissom Law, LLC to schedule a consultation to discuss your advance directive choices.
Disclaimer
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.