Let's talk about why you need your advanced medical directives now! Young or old, right now age doesn't matter. 2020 has brought, and continues to bring, unexpected hurdles. At a time of panic, you may not remember where you filed away your legal documents, or worse you have not done any personal planning at all. What do you do?
Act and get your affairs in order, no matter your age. Attorney Henry C Weatherby of Weatherby & Associates, PC in Bloomfield says everyone is a heartbeat away from having a health crisis and completing the right legal documents thoroughly is a “critical part of good personal planning.”
Accidents happen, unexpected health events take over and chronic health conditions worsen overtime. It is crucial to start discussing your personal plans and make them known to your spouse, friend, or family member. At Weatherby & Associates, PC we help our clients realize how important it is to have interpersonal communications with their appointed decision makers, and the decision makers can then use their judgement to make the best effort decision.
Three important considerations - take action now!
It is important to begin the discussion by deciding on who to share your healthcare information with and making it official by creating your own personal HIPAA Authorization BEFORE in medical distress. It is too late to wait when you are in the emergency room. This form is vital in sharing information with only the ones you choose to share it with.
A Living Will would be the logical next step as it is seen as a manual for your decision maker to reference in the event of end of life wishes. Without this in place, legal battles can arise, and quality of life can be compromised.
Personalized Healthcare Power of Attorney appoints your healthcare representative the decision maker for when you cannot speak for yourself. Until the doctors make the determination that the individual cannot make an informed choice the Healthcare Power of Attorney is not active. Your healthcare representative should be someone you trust and knows your wishes. Having these in place grants you control of your path of life.
Now, for someone who may have done this personal planning and think they are all set, think again, you are not. Your life circumstances, those of your healthcare representative, your health and desires as well as the law all change overtime, says Attorney Weatherby. Change happens whether we like it or not and your documents need to reflect those changes. At Weatherby & Associates we strongly encourage our clients to have ongoing conversations with helpers and provide tools for them to do so.
To learn more or schedule a first consultation please call Weatherby & Associates, PC at 860-769-6938.
Due to Coronavirus, business practices shifted from less face-to-face to more virtual engagements. At Weatherby & Associates, PC we are committed to the health and safety of our clients. We are getting back to meeting with clients at our Bloomfield office maintaining CDC guidelines. Video and teleconference meetings are available, too.
Why You Need Your Advanced Medical Directives Now | Weatherby & Associates, PC
