A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a document in which you name someone else to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. In South Carolina, we have a statutory form created by our legislature, and every healthcare power of attorney done in this state since January 1, 2007 should be very similar to that document. If your healthcare power of attorney was done before 2007, you should really consider getting it updated.
This document includes the power to make any medical decisions that may be needed, and also lets you make three very important end-of-life decisions. These include whether you want to be an organ donor, whether you want to be kept alive through means such as ventilators and other machines if you have an incurable or irreversible condition or are in a state of permanent unconsciousness, and whether you would want your life prolonged by tube feeding if it you are in that same condition.
While these are decisions a lot of people do not want to face, making them ahead of time can be a great blessing to your family, and will ensure you have named someone to make these decisions so family members don’t have to argue over who gets to make the decision later.
If you do not have a healthcare power of attorney or think you may need to update your document, give us a call or fill out the form to the right so we can set a time to get started.
