POWERS OF ATTORNEY
POWERS OF ATTORNEY
Assisting People Through Their Hardest Moments
Understanding “power of attorney,” also referred to as a “POA,” is a daunting process, regardless of the reasoning behind finding out more about it. Either you are researching what power of attorney means because you are getting your will together, being forced to face your own mortality—a difficult prospect for anyone.
Worse, you may be learning about living wills, power of attorney, advanced directives, and so on because you may be about to lose someone or you have already lost that someone.
A power of attorney is a legal document used to allow another person to act for you when you are unable to make medical choices. This document creates a legal relationship between the principal and the agent. If you are creating your power of attorney documents, you would be the principal. The person you assign to make certain medical decisions on your behalf would be called your agent.
There are two major types of POA: financial and health care. A financial POA is an agent who helps the principal or the person granting power of attorney with financial and business matters.
A health care POA is when a principal assigns someone to act as their agent, granting them the power to make medical decisions on their behalf. In Connecticut, this document is often called an “appointment of health care representative.”
Health care power of attorney is what we will be concentrating on in this article.
What Are Your Medical Rights?
In Connecticut, you have the right to determine what, if any, medical treatment you receive. Even if you have assigned an agent to act as your power of attorney, as long as you are of sound mind, you are the person in control of your medical treatment preferences.
When you assign a health care agent, you will also create your living will, which will include your health care directives. While working with a power of attorney lawyer, you will outline several health care directives that you would like addressed, just in case you are unable to speak for yourself. It is your health care agent’s job to inform the medical staff of your medical treatment wishes.
What Is Usually Addressed in a Living Will?
Multiple end-of-life care decisions are addressed in your living will. This advance care planning can ensure that your wishes are made known when you are unable to speak for yourself.
Here are some treatments and medical procedures that are often covered in living wills:
CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, known as CPR, is used to restart the heart when it has stopped beating. While most people would want to receive this potentially life-saving act, it is a very violent, potentially damaging practice that can leave a person with broken ribs and extensive recovery. There may be medical reasons present that could lead a person to deny CPR.
Mechanical ventilation. When you are unable to breathe on your own, mechanical ventilation is used to breathe for you. Your advance directive can limit the amount of time you are kept alive by assisted mechanical ventilation. Family members may want to keep their loved ones alive as long as possible. Advance directives can inform them of how long you would feel comfortable receiving such treatments.
Tube feeding. Tube feeding allows the body to be supplied with hydration and nutrients. Your advance directive can inform medical staff, as well as your family members, about your wishes regarding if, when, and how long you would like a feeding tube.
Dialysis. Dialysis removes waste from your blood. This treatment is most often used for patients with reduced kidney function. Using your advance directive, you can outline if, when, and for how long you would be comfortable receiving dialysis.
Comfort care. Comfort care is also known as “palliative care.” Comfort care includes a number of measures that a facility may use to ensure the comfort of their patient. When figuring out your advance care planning, you will be able to determine the types of palliative care you are comfortable receiving.
Organ donation, tissue donation, and donating your body for scientific study. You may wish to give permission to have your organs harvested once you are deceased. This may require temporary life-sustaining treatments to keep your organs viable for donation. You may also wish to donate your body for scientific study. In your living will, you can specify whether or not you would like your body to be donated to science, as well as the institution you would like your body donated to.
Do You Need a Power of Attorney Lawyer?
While dictating your living will and laying out your advance directives may seem like a straightforward enough task, it is important to remember that this is a legal document intended to assist you and your family in ensuring your medical treatments are in accordance with your final wishes.
Speaking with an attorney, especially one who is familiar with the process, can give you peace of mind. Regardless of if you have talked with your family about your health care decisions or not, having everything written down and double-checked by a lawyer can put your worries at ease. Even if you are sure where you stand regarding your medical treatment, a power of attorney gives you a voice when you can’t talk for yourself.
Call Legacy Law Partners, PLLC, to speak with a team of compassionate, knowledgeable lawyers who want to assist you during this difficult process and make sure your voice is the prevailing voice when it comes to your medical treatment.
Call (203) 446-4725 to schedule your free consultation. There is no better time than right now!
