26 Jun Know the importance of a healthcare proxy

Now is time to designate a healthcare proxy

Four things to know about advance directives

Imagine that you are in a hospital, terminally ill with cancer and can’t communicate. Who is the person designated to speak for you if you are unable, otherwise known as your healthcare proxy?

If you become incapable of making healthcare decisions for yourself because of injury or illness, your healthcare proxy will make decisions for you.

You can designate a healthcare proxy with an “Advance Directive for Healthcare” or a medical power of attorney.

The time is now because we never know when an accident or serious illness will leave us incapable of making our own healthcare decisions.

What is an ‘advance directive?’

In addition to designating a healthcare proxy, an “Advance Directive for Healthcare” tells your doctor how you want to be treated if you are terminally ill, permanently unconscious or unable to make your own healthcare decisions.

Advance directives tell doctors and other healthcare professionals which, if any, medical interventions — like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), kidney dialysis, breathing machines or feeding tubes — you wish them to use to prolong your life.

The form can also direct doctors as to the level of pain you wish to tolerate, what organs you want to donate and any burial instructions.

Your Advance Directive will not be enforced until you are incapable of clearly expressing your own wishes. As long as you can do this, you have the right to make your own decisions.

What’s a healthcare proxy?

If you don’t want to make all those decisions at once, you can contact your attorney and have a “medical power of attorney” drawn up to designate a healthcare proxy.

A healthcare proxy is the person you designate to be your representative in the event you are unable to make or communicate decisions about any aspect of your healthcare.

The medical power of attorney must be drawn up by a licensed attorney. But you may name an “agent “or “alternate agent” to make healthcare decisions for you with an advance directive.

What’s the difference between an advance directive and a living will?

A living will tells medical professionals what medical treatment you wish to be used when you cannot give informed consent. It must be drafted by an attorney.

As of 2017, Tennessee law combined the content found in a living will, advance directive and medical power of attorney into one form called an “Advance Directive for Healthcare.”

You can find the form on TN.gov. You may create an advance directive by filling out this form and having it properly witnessed by two people and/or notarized.

Why are they important?

Advance care planning is not just about old age.

At any age, a medical crisis could leave someone too ill to make his or her own healthcare decisions.

Even if you are not sick now, making healthcare plans for the future is an important step toward making sure you get the medical care you would want, even when doctors and family members are making the decisions for you.

For questions regarding estate planning or setting your healthcare proxy, contact the Law Office of Michael Craig and we’ll be glad to assist you.