Durable Power Of Attorney For Health Care

During my sister’s tenure as an employee for the Department of Aging she learned quite a few things about growing old in the United States. One of the lessons that she shared with me is the importance of durable power of attorney for health care. This is one of the most important decisions that a family can make and hopefully it is done early enough.
There are times when an individual does not have the mental capacity to make sound decisions. It is crucial to choose who will retain durable power of attorney for health care while you are still capacitated. You may not think that you will ever need the services from a trusted associate or relative but it is a kind of insurance that can benefit you if there are unexpected circumstances.
When you choose someone to have durable power of attorney for health care you are insuring that your wishes will be carried out no matter what your ability to understand or communicate them is. Of course, none of us like to picture ourselves in a position where we would need someone who has durable power of attorney for health care for our own personal situations but it is a good idea to make arrangements anyway.
My sister witnessed too many of the elderly lost and without guidance. These people were utterly alone and many of them had family members who could have helped them out if they had durable power of attorney for health care. Many of the healthcare decisions were left up to the state.
The unfortunate thing about this particular situation is that the family members may have objected to the findings and decisions made by the state. The individual was unable to speak for himself and his family was also left without a voice. Making arrangements for a trusted individual to take care of healthcare decisions is very important.
The importance of choosing someone to have durable power of attorney for healthcare is extremely important as we age. Conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or even a condition like diabetes can impair our ability to make sound judgments. Having a trusted support is so very helpful in our healthcare.
Assigning a trusted individual durable power of attorney for health care is also important for younger people as well. I know that it is unpleasant but you have to consider the assignment as a kind of insurance.