It is not easy to have a conversation with a loved one about their end of life wishes and choices. None of us wants to face the fact that our life is limited. My father used to tell us that no one leaves this world alive. We thought he was silly, but as I have aged and now work with seniors and their families exclusively, he was a sage man.
Every state has Power of Attorney documents unique to that jurisdiction. This is not about those documents and how to proceed. This blog is about who you chose to act on your behalf. The individual you name is called your Agent. This person has the legal authority to work on your behalf because you have given him or her that authority with your Power of Attorney for healthcare or finance/property.
The Healthcare Power of Attorney is the individual that the healthcare team is going to turn to when you are no longer able to make your own decisions. That may be due to a disease like dementia, or it may be due to an auto accident with a head injury, a stroke, a surgical procedure with complications or any number of other reasons.
The most crucial element in the selection of the Power of Attorney for Healthcare is that you and your Agent have similar belief systems. The only way you know this is by sharing your wishes with this person. Is your Agent willing, able and emotionally capable of fulfilling your requests? If they are not, you will want to find another Agent. If you do not want a feeding tube or ventilator and your Power of Attorney believes that everything should be done, you have placed that person in a precarious position. It is an honor to fulfill the role of Agent, but it may also be conflict driven by other interested parties.
It does not matter how old you are or how many medical conditions you have. The time for you to enact your Power of Attorney for Healthcare is NOW! Life is unpredictable, so you want to be ready for all contingencies. You want to live with independence, dignity, and autonomy until your last breath. Your Agent has the authority to make sure that this happens. If you have further questions about appointing a Power of Attorney for Healthcare, please get in touch with me.