Planning for your future healthcare is not scary; it’s something to understand and share with others. You can include decisions such as when you want medical attention and when you want it to stop. But you may not know how to go about planning for your future healthcare. That is why in 2008, a healthcare lawyer decided to find a way to distribute this information to everyone – patients and providers. Now, April 16 is national healthcare decision day across the United States.
Healthcare planning allows you to let your loved ones know your wishes. A healthcare directive becomes active if you’re terminally ill, seriously injured, in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of your life. It can include a sudden accident that leaves you unable to speak to the doctors or a slow progression of age or disease that eventually takes away your ability to speak with your physician.
Healthcare decisions can be temporary or long-term. It can include your level of care, such as:
Letting your doctor and your loved ones know your medical wishes will save everyone time and the heartache of making these decisions for you. Being prepared is a way to show your friends and family how much you care for them.
Along with a healthcare directive, you may want also to have a Medical Power of Attorney. This durable power of attorney allows you to assign a person to make healthcare decisions for you if you are temporarily or permanently unable to do so. You must completely trust the person you give medical power of attorney and discuss your wishes with this person to ensure they understand what you want in almost any situation.
The best way to celebrate National Healthcare Decisions Day is to speak openly and frankly with your loved ones about your healthcare decisions. Then make it legal by working with an experienced estate planning attorney who can help you draft a healthcare directive and a medical power of attorney.
National healthcare decision day is the perfect time to begin estate planning. Knowing you have a healthcare directive and power of attorney will ease your mind and help your loved ones. With expert guidance from the estate planning attorneys at Estate & Probate Legal Group in Illinois, we can help make this happen. Contact us today at 630-864-5835.
AREAS WE SERVE: DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will counties.
