Disability and
End of Life Planning
Taking the necessary steps today to plan for a possible illness or injury that may occur during lifetime are as important as Legacy and Wealth Planning for after death.
Having a Durable Power of Attorney, Durable Health Care Power of Attorney and a Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death (Living Will) in place before a traumatic event occurs will give you peace of mind knowing that your wishes are carried through. You will be helping your family through a difficult time as well.
Power of Attorney
This is used to provide someone else the authority to take actions on your behalf, such as signing your checks to pay your bills or selling a particular piece of real estate for you. It can be general in nature so that you can give broad powers to the person, or you can limit the powers given so that only specific actions are permitted to take place on your behalf.
Most Powers of Attorney will terminate if you become incapacitated. However, if the Power of Attorney is Durable, it will remain valid and in effect even if you become incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself. The Power of Attorney must specifically state that the powers will be durable and remain in effect during your incapacity, should you take ill or be unable to make decisions for yourself otherwise the powers will terminate.
Durable Health Care Power of Attorney
You should also have what is known as a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney so that you can appoint someone you trust to act as your health care agent and make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to do so for yourself.
Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death (a/k/a Living Will)
A Living Will is a statement by you to the world that if your condition is determined to be terminal and incurable you do not want your life prolonged by extraordinary means such as artificial nutrition or hydration, or other life sustaining procedures.
This document directs and authorizes the physician to withhold and discontinue extraordinary means. The procedures and treatments to be withheld and withdrawn include surgery, antibiotics, CPR, and artificially administered feeding and fluids. The treatment is limited to measures which comfort and relieve pain, even if such measures will shorten your life.
Thinking about our death is difficult and depressing. But, putting in place now the means for your wishes to be respected is truly an act of love when it comes time for your family to refuse medical treatment on your behalf.