Selecting health care proxies in living wills is a very important aspect of your overall advance directives. Because a living will or advance directives give specific instructions on how you will be treated in en-life situations, it is only logical to designate a person who will take responsibility for related health care decisions and medical treatment in the event that you are unable or incapable of making any judgment.
The health care proxy document is just a legal form that you need to fill up. The hardest part of the whole thing is choosing the right person for the job. You need to select a person that you can trust. Selecting a person that can make sound decisions in highly emotional situations would be your best option.
A living will allows people of the right age, basically individuals 18 and above, to practice their right to accept or refuse medical treatment. Such treatments include among others the use of antibiotics, artificial feeding procedures and the use of respirators and ventilators. Now, sometimes, due to your illness, injury or condition, it is difficult to make certain that your wishes about specific treatments will be followed by your family and medical team. It is important, therefore, to designate an individual that can ensure that all your wishes and concerns are followed.
By appointing someone as your health care proxy, you are protecting your wishes on your living will document. Although, a living will is a legal document that needs to be respected and followed, it is still less effective if it stands on its own. It is best to combine a living will with a health care proxys presence and decisions making ability. Your health care proxy can use the living will as a guide in talking to your medical team and making the right decisions based on what you wanted. The proxy can make decisions when your medical condition changes, either for the better or for the worst.
Regardless, you need to plan everything in advance. You can assign your health care proxy with as much responsibility as you want. You can even allow your proxy to decide everything about your medical needs or treatment. Hospitals and doctors are legally bound to follow your proxys decisions. You need to be specific on your wishes or instructions to your proxy. If for instance, your proxy does not know your stand on some treatments or health care procedures, he/she will not be able to make a decision. This particular decision might fall under the responsibilities of the family.
If for some reason you changed your mind regarding your chosen healthcare proxy, you can cancel the proxy and assign a new one by simply filing a new healthcare proxy form. There is also a possibility of adding a term limit to the validity of the person as your proxy. This ensures some limitations if youre looking for that. Also, if you previously assigned your spouse as your proxy but got divorced later on, the proxy agreement is also cancelled. Selecting your healthcare proxies in living wills is a serious matter that needs your full attention and careful thinking.