Safeguard Your Healthcare Choices with Margaret Zylka House, Attorney at Law
It’s important to understand the role of living wills and powers of attorney in healthcare decisions. Otherwise, unexpected medical situations can leave families struggling to make critical healthcare decisions. Living wills and powers of attorney ensure individuals maintain control over their medical care, even when they cannot communicate their wishes. These legal documents protect personal choices and provide clarity during difficult times.
How a Living Will Guides Medical Care
A living will outlines specific medical treatments a person wants or refuses if they become incapacitated. This document becomes essential when a person cannot express their wishes because of a severe illness, injury, or terminal condition. Key decisions in a living will include:
- Life-Sustaining Treatment – Specifies whether to receive or decline ventilators, feeding tubes, or dialysis.
- Pain Management – Ensures medical teams provide pain relief.
- Organ and Tissue Donation – States preferences regarding organ donation.
By creating a living will, individuals relieve their families from making heartbreaking choices and ensure their healthcare aligns with their values.
The Importance of a Healthcare Power of Attorney
The role of living wills and powers of attorney in healthcare decisions is crucial in ensuring individuals’ medical preferences are honored. A healthcare power of attorney (POA) allows a trusted person to make medical decisions when someone becomes unable to do so. A healthcare POA provides broader decision-making authority than a living will. Responsibilities of a healthcare agent may include:
- Communicating with Doctors – Ensuring medical teams follow the patient’s preferences.
- Approving or Declining Treatment – Making real-time decisions based on medical circumstances.
- Choosing Care Facilities – Deciding on hospital stays, rehabilitation centers, or long-term care options.
Selecting a reliable and trusted person for this role prevents conflicts and ensures the patient’s best interests remain the priority.
Secure Your Future with Guidance from Margaret Zylka House, Attorney at Law
Without a living will or healthcare power of attorney, medical decisions fall to family members or the courts. We can help individuals create legally sound documents that safeguard their healthcare wishes.
For more information on our legal services, call (724) 628-4955. Follow us on Facebook for our latest news. Margaret Zylka House, Attorney at Law will be glad to explain the role of living wills and powers of attorney in healthcare.
