[H]ealthcare Power of Attorney allows you, should you become unable to voice your own decisions for whatever reason, to exercise your own beliefs and wishes regarding your personal medical care. The person you choose can communicate on your behalf on behalf in preventing unwanted treatment. The process of denoting an HCPA is fairly straightforward, and the privilege can be revoked at any time.
You should discuss your decisions concerning end-of-life care with a person with whom you feel comfortable and trust to make medical decisions on your behalf. Appoint this person as your Health Care Power of Attorney (HCPOA). He or she will make healthcare decisions for you (the patient) whenever you are unable to make your own decisions or state your own opinion. While many people feel that having an HCPOA is always an end-of-life decision, consider the case of an automobile accident, which occurs without warning and leaves no time to make your wishes known. There needs to be one person assigned to speak with the healthcare professional on your behalf and answer questions regarding your care.
An HCPOA only goes into effect when you cannot make your own decisions. It may be revoked by the person who enacted it at any time. Therefore, if situations change (e.g. divorce or death of an assigned person) someone else can be appointed. If there is no assigned HCPOA, there is a common law progression of decision makers who take over. This starts with the husband or wife, followed by adult children, parents, and then brothers or sisters. Unfortunately, if an individual’s wishes have not been discussed with all the family members, each may have a different decision. This may result in chaos, anger, frustration and family division.
Remember: Both a living will and an HCPOA agreement must be signed in the presence of two witnesses and notarized. While this can be done at a lawyer’s office, public libraries also have blank forms, and there are many organizations that offer assistance in completing the forms and having them notarized.