What is a Power of Attorney?

Power of attorney is one of the most helpful legal documents that an elderly individual can get. This is a term that can be thrown around lightly, but it is actually something that holds a lot of importance. If you are in the process of looking for care for yourself or a loved one, it’s something that you should learn a little bit more about.

 

A power of attorney can be assigned in a number of different ways. Two two most widely used methods are a general power of attorney who has agency over all aspects of care for an individual. The other method involves the appointment of a power of attorney on a case by case basis. This tends to be drawn up within the specific document that the person will have authority over. For example, a different power of attorney may be given for financial decisions than there is for care decisions. This doesn’t happen as often, but it is a viable solution for many.

 

An individual that’s acting as a power of attorney has a great number of tasks that they might be given. Some of these might include decisions about beginning or ending care, instituting or ending a feeding tube or liquids, or even requesting a do not resuscitate order from a doctor. These types of decisions are never easy, but they are dramatically important. This is why it’s important that someone who is trusted and has a strong idea of what the elderly individual’s wishes are regarding these things has this role.

 

A power of attorney helps to make decisions when someone is unable to do so for themselves.

 

Sometimes, finding someone who knows all of these things and is able to act on them in a timely manner is not possible. In these cases, planning ahead of time becomes even more important. Advance planning is always smart when trying to figure out your care or that of another person. A living will and a living trust can be smart documents to have drawn up so that you can be assured that health care and financial situations are covered as closely as possible. In this instance, if a power of attorney is appointed that isn’t as familiar with your care or that of a loved one, then there will be a legal document in place that will dictate what can and cannot be done.

 

Speaking with an attorney who specializes in senior care can help you to get these documents created. And as always, if you have any questions about senior care and determining which type of care is best for a loved one, you are welcome to give us a call today. We can schedule a free consultation and go over all of your options. The world of senior care can be a confusing one, and the ins and outs of it can often go ignored because many people are uncomfortable speaking about the aging process and the things that go along with it. However, ignoring this problem does not make it go away. The sooner that your questions are addressed, the more time that you will have to effectively solve them.

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