Do you know who will speak for you if you become ill or injured and unable to speak for yourself? If not you might want to consider choosing a Health Care Agent.
Your health care agent ─ or agent, for short ─ will have the authority to make life and death decisions for you according to your wishes. You need to make sure that the person you pick is willing to be your agent. When you ask someone to be your health care agent, you should think about several things. For example, usually it is best to name one person as your first choice. Then choose at least one back-up agent, in case the first person is not available when needed.
Choose someone who will talk with you now about your wishes, who will understand what you want and your priorities about health care, and who will do as you ask faithfully when the time comes.
Give serious though to choosing someone who lives near you or could travel to be with you, if needed. Someone you trust with your life. Someone who can handle conflicting opinions from family members, friends, and medical personnel. And finally choose someone who can be a strong advocate for you if a doctor or institution is unresponsive.
Once you’ve decided whom you would like to serve as your health care agents and they have agreed, you’ll then need to give them guidance. Talking about what you want is very important because your agent must try to make decisions the way he or she believes you would.
My advise is you have that conversation with your loved ones and then complete a power of attorney for health care or other advance directive for health care. Here at Fawcett & Fawcett we’ll guide you through the process and help by providing you with the peace of mind your entitled to.