A medical power of attorney or health care proxy is an essential tool if someone becomes ill or incapacitated and can no longer make medical decisions for themself. Frequently people think they need legal medical decision powers for their elderly parents, but it’s also smart to have them for your young adult children, such as college students, and for yourself!
A Health Care Proxy and Medical POA do the same things. They are a type of advanced healthcare directive, which are legal documents to say what actions should be taken regarding your health and medical treatment if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself due to illness or incapacitation.
Health Care Proxy
If you become incapacitated, who do you trust to make your health care decisions? If you don’t appoint a health care proxy, the courts will assign someone to make your medical decisions – and it may not be a person your trust. A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a durable power of attorney, a legal device that allows one person to indefinitely make decisions on behalf of another.
Medical Power of Attorney
A Medical POA is a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a signed, witnessed legal document where someone designates an agent to make health care decisions if they are temporarily or permanently unable to make such medical decisions. A durable power of attorney for health care lasts indefinitely and the person granting the POA authority typically retains the power to revoke it.
An Illinois estate planning lawyer can help you make and set up a legal medical directive or power of attorney. Consulting an experienced probate, trust and estates attorney in Chicago or Lombard can give you protection and peace of mind. Contact the Estate & Probate Legal Group at 630.800.0112.
