A durable power of attorney for health care is a legal document naming a health care proxy, someone to make medical decisions for you at times when you are unable to do so. Your proxy, also known as a representative, surrogate, or agent, should be familiar with your values and wishes.
A health care proxy, or durable power of attorney for health care, allows you to designate another person as your agent to make health care decisions on your behalf. Health care proxies, used in combination with living wills, are referred to as "Advanced Directives."
A living will is a directive that declares the patient's wishes should the patient become unable to give instruction. A durable power of attorney identifies a person who will make healthcare decisions in the event the patient is unable to do so.
Durable power of attorney for health care is a legal document that gives another person the authority to make a medical decision for an individual. The person named to represent the individual is referred to as an agent or attorney-in-fact.
The powers to decide on your behalf aren't transferred to your spouse automatically. Your husband or wife can become your health care agent only if you specify so in a medical proxy. Otherwise, they can't make choices in your name.
Power of Attorney for Healthcare It is important to note that your health care agent can't overrule any of the provisions of your living will. Your agent can only supplement your wishes if something comes up that you didn't anticipate in your living will.
A healthcare proxy and a living will both have the same purpose: to see that your medical wishes are expressed and honored, even when you can't do so yourself. You give a medical proxy the authority to make those decisions for you, while a living will sets those wishes out in writing.
Both a living will and a durable healthcare POA allow you to choose someone you trust to make certain medical choices on your behalf. You must be at least 18 to create either document and you must be of sound mind.
What is the difference between a living will and a health care proxy? Which is preferable? Health care proxy names a health care agent who has the ability to make decisions about care. Living will identifies the patient's wishes about which life-prolonging actions should or should not be taken.
You can write a POA in two forms: general or limited. A general power of attorney allows the agent to make a wide range of decisions. This is your best option if you want to maximize the person's freedom to handle your assets and manage your care.
You cannot give an attorney the power to: act in a way or make a decision that you cannot normally do yourself – for example, anything outside the law. consent to a deprivation of liberty being imposed on you, without a court order.
Listen to pronunciation. (HELTH kayr PRAK-see) A type of advance directive that gives a person (such as a relative, lawyer, or friend) the authority to make healthcare decisions for another person.