Recently I was asked to comment on health care surrogate forms and power of attorney for health. For these I use the term living wills. These are directives that a person records to be used in the event that they become unable to communicate their wishes with respect to medical decision making. This seems fairly simple. Don’t we know how we would want to be treated? Some might say, “I never want to live, unable to communicate, in a nursing home” and record in their directives that they are never to be placed in a nursing home.. … Read the rest
Monthly Archives: October 2013
Living Wills – And Loving Your Neighbour
Recently I was asked to comment on health care surrogate forms and power of attorney for health. For these I use the term living wills. They are directives that a person records that are intended to be used in the event that they become unable to communicate their wishes with respect to medical decision making. Sometimes the directives are given for a particular person. Where I live, we use the term Power of Attorney For Person Care (POA). This is a person who has the legal responsibility to make decisions for someone who is not able to give their own directions with respect to care. … Read the rest