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Why should you get Power of Attorney for Health
Care for your elderly loved ones when you don't think you need
one yet? Here's a story:
"Mary" called me recently. Mary cares at home for her
husband, who has Alzheimer's disease. Recently he had a bout of
pneumonia and was in the hospital for several days. As so
often happens, he was then discharged to a nursing facility for
some rehabilitation before going back home.
While he was in rehabilitation Mary was very unhappy with the
care he was getting, both from the facility and from the staff
doctor. When she said that she wanted to take him home, the head
nurse told her that this would not be allowed.
Mary quietly got in her car and drove home. She got the Power of
Attorney for Health Care document that her husband signed a
while back.
She returned to the nursing home, led her husband to the car and
they both went home. He is doing well there now, and is back
under the care of his regular physician.
If Mary had not had the proper authority to do what she did, she
would have had to ask the court for guardianship of her husband.
This would have taken days, if not weeks, and it would have been
necessary to retain expensive legal counsel.
There would have been no ironclad guarantee that Mary would be
appointed his guardian, either. There is always the risk that
the court might think someone else would be a better choice.
If your elder hasn't yet appointed someone to help with medical
issues in the event of incapacity, please sit down and talk
about it.
It might take several conversations. A lot of people, and
not just older people, either, are hesitant to give someone else
"power." There is that fear we all have of losing
control and independence.
But something even more terrifying is the possibility that our
medical treatment, and even our lives, might be put in the hands
of someone we don't even know - and who doesn't know us. A
properly done Power of Attorney for Health Care is the best way
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Just Do it!
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