Health Care Power of Attorney

Health care power of attorney forms are used in the conditions when the principal becomes incapable to make decisions about his health and medical care due to reasons such as aging, mental illness or in the state of unconsciousness. This principal grants his attorney-in-fact to make all the health and medical decisions for him. This power is usually granted to one's doctor, therapist, or house attendant (unless they are also close relatives, spouse or anyone in the family).

This form also includes a living will. The living will is either attached to the form or written separately. If written separately, it is important for the agent to keep a copy of it. This 'Will' includes certain restriction on the rights of the agent regarding the health issues. The agent has to consult the living will to see what limitation of right he has.

This Living Will should include the following things by your living will attorney:

You have to mention the circumstance in which you want this will to be used. For instance, you can ask the agent not to use any life-prolonging procedures and use only the pain relief.

Mechanical breathing apparatus is used when the patient stops to breath on his own. You can mention whether or not, you would like to live on it.

You also mention whether the use of CPR for you will be acceptable to you or not. It stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation which is used when the heart stops pumping on its own.

You can mention your Will over the artificial feeding and intravenous fluids. These are used to feed you through taking down the tubes from your nose to your stomach.