Healthcare proxies should be in place because they can clarify your beliefs, describe your wishes in a lot of detail, and appoint one person to make decisions about your health should you become incapacitated.
Healthcare proxies should be in place because they can clarify your beliefs, describe your wishes in a lot of detail, and appoint one person to make decisions about your health should you become incapacitated. According to Health Affairs, one in three United States adults completes an advance directive for end-of-life care. For many Florida residents, the concept of a healthcare proxy is often unclear. Another misconception is that this type of arrangement only benefits the elderly. While our attorneys strive to serve seniors on multiple levels, a health care proxy can help anyone. People up in age are not the only ones to become sick or incapacitated. Here is how you can benefit from healthcare proxies.
Healthcare Proxies Help to Clarify Significant Beliefs
Healthcare can be a gray area. Not everyone sees medical practices in the same light. Cultural differences, religious beliefs, or even generational factors can affect how a person views healthcare. These factors can control what types of procedures and treatments a person wants during a medical emergency. A proxy allows a person to express the beliefs that matter the most to them to ensure that their end-of-life care aligns with their values.
A Healthcare Proxy Provides Explicit Medical Care Wishes
A healthcare proxy clarifies a person’s values, but it also outlines medical care wishes for family members and physicians. A healthcare proxy can tell physicians and family members how to take care of things such as:
- When life-sustaining treatments should no longer be in use
- What types of medicines to use to offer comfort
- Whether feeding tubes are acceptable to use
When a person writes out their wishes, it takes a lot of stress away from caregivers. Caregivers make a lot of tough decisions, and the fewer they have to make, the better. It also makes a medical provider’s life easier because they’ll better understand how to serve their patient best.
Healthcare Proxies Put One Person in Charge
This example illustrates that a healthcare proxy can benefit anyone. Let’s say that a young person gets into an accident that affects their brain. A relative will most likely end up needing to make medical decisions. Physicians often have to wait for a family’s consensus on what to do next. If a healthcare proxy is in place, it appoints a single decision-maker. The benefit of this is that it eliminates potential family drama. Also, there is a greater chance that the person affected will have their wishes followed.
Anyone over the age of 18 can benefit from a healthcare proxy. If you want to put this legal directive in place, give the attorneys at Millman Law Group PLLC a call.
MILLMAN LAW GROUP PLLC MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR FUTURES
Millman Law Group, PLLC is rare because it’s one of the only law firms that offer life planning in South Florida. From life care planning to the preparation of detailed estate plans, Millman Law Group has committed to serving Floridian elderly communities in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Ocean Ridge, Hillsboro Beach, and many other areas since 2018. Our dedicated team also specializes in special needs trusts and catering to any age demographic because we know for certain it’s never too early to start preparing you and your family for your future. For the latest news in estate planning and elder care law, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and Pinterest. You can also contact us at 561-463-6480.