Life is full of hurdles that must be met on a daily basis and most people spend little or no time thinking about what might happen if they become incapacitated to the point where they are not in control of their own medical future. It actually is important that people do some planning for this eventuality, determining what their wishes are; what treatments they want as well as those treatments they don’t want and who they want to oversee your care and affairs. If you don’t look after them the decisions may be made by someone who knows little about your wishes. This is when a living wills attorney in Moline IL area can work with you, determining what your wishes are and documenting them.
When it comes to health care there are actually two different documents that are used to set out your wishes. One is a living will and the other is a durable power of attorney. In many cases an individual is wise to prepare both although, depending on the jurisdiction they can be combined into what is known as an ‘advance directive.”
Living wills:
A living will bears no relation to your last will and testament. A living will is a document that determines in advance what it is you want in the event you become incapacitated. A living will details your health care wishes while your last will and testament details what you want done with your assets upon your death.
Power of attorney for health care:
A durable power of attorney is somewhat different, a living will details what you do and do not want done visa vie your health care while a durable power of attorney is a document that specifies who you appoint as your health care agent. This named individual will make any and all health care decisions on your behalf and see to it that members of the medical and health care professions are fully aware of your wishes.
Either of these documents can be drawn up by a living wills attorney in Moline IL. At the time the documents are drawn up you must be of legal age and of sound mind.
In the event you become ill, are injured or age to the point where you can no longer express your wishes when it comes to health care, the living will and durable power of attorney are immediately effective. In the event there is still some question as to whether you can understand the choices available to you, the doctor; in co-operation with your appointed power of attorney will decide if the living will becomes operative.
