Because of a loved one’s medical expertise or your trust in their decision-making, you know who you want to designate as a power of attorney for healthcare. If you become incapacitated, you want to have created a sound legal form of your wishes.
You also understand what life-saving measures you want provided to you and what type of treatment you believe in. You want to establish a document that explains these desires, so that you can maintain some control over your health if you become incapacitated.
A form exists called the Advance Health Care Directive that helps you identify your power of attorney for health care, as well as describe your health care wishes in California. Detailing this form designates a responsible decision, as it takes the burden of decision-making out of the hands of your family members, and gives the required decisions to a designated, trusted individual. Doing so, you have the ability to prepare your loved one for their responsibilities if you cannot make decisions for yourself.
The role of the power of attorney of health care
It is difficult to think about being diagnosed with an illness or being affected by a life-threatening accident, but creating an Advance Health Care Directive can leave you and your loved ones prepared.
When you document the role of your power of attorney for health care, you give the trusted individual the following responsibilities.
- The authority to consent or refuse any medical care or treatment that would affect your medical state
- The ability to decide or fire doctors, hospitals or other health care providers
- The ability to approve or deny testing, surgery or any medication
- The authority to engage or withdraw life-saving mechanisms such as a breathing or feeding tube
- The authority to donate organs or have an autopsy performed
In the unlikely event that something does happen to your mental or physical state, you can feel comfort in knowing that your chosen medical power of attorney will provide the utmost care and caution when making decisions regarding your health.
Detailing your health care instructions
The second portion of an Advance Health Care Directive involves your decisions regarding life-saving medical treatment. You can give your power of attorney for health care the power to make these decisions in prolonging your life, or if you feel comfortable, you can describe your exact wishes. Doing so, you can find peace in knowing that your desires will be upheld under law.
Here, you may also decide whether you would like to participate in organ donation or choose a specific doctor to perform any of your medical needs.
Though preparing for a devastating situation may prove difficult, understand that detailing an Advance Health Care Directive may provide you peace of mind should a traffic event of illness or injury occur. Your power of attorney for health care will understand his or her responsibilities, and you can feel content in knowing that your medical wishes hold legal authority in California.
