Life can get rough, really fast. You never know when you could be involved in a serious car accident that leaves you comatose or taken suddenly ill and unable to speak for yourself.
In those situations, people rely on someone with their health care power of attorney (POA) to make their decisions for them. That’s a big job for anybody, and you don’t want to make that designation lightly. Here are a few things you need to consider as you make your selection:
Does this person have the same rough belief system as you?
Religious differences can seem mild enough between relatives or good friends – until someone’s life is on the line. If you don’t believe in blood transfusions, for example, you want to know that the person holding your medical POA will honor your wishes.
Does this person have the ability to listen to and think about your concerns?
It can be hard to discuss end-of-life plans with anyone, but you need to do it with the person holding your medical POA – and the conversation will probably get heavy. You have to talk about things like whether you would want feeding tubes, breathing tubes, comfort care or more in different situations. You can’t possibly cover every scenario, so you want to know that your chosen representative really understands your feelings.
Does this person have the capacity to hold their ground?
Your medical POA may have to make some hard calls, and not everybody in your circle of friends and family may agree. It takes someone with a strong backbone to hold their ground when the pressure is on.
Choosing your powers of attorney for health care and financial matters is just part of good estate planning. Learn more about your options today.