Being able to make health care decisions for ourselves is so important to us, but what happens if you become incapacitated and are unable to voice your opinion? If you don’t have a health care proxy or guardian in place,…
It’s the most serious of responsibilities to be bestowed upon you: the power to make medical decisions for your loved one in case he or she can’t. It’s called being a health care proxy, and it means you can make decisions and take actions that your loved one would if he or she were able.
An advance directive gives instructions on the kind of medical care you would like to receive should you become unable to express your wishes yourself, and it often designates someone to make medical decisions for you. But an important document like this won’t be of much use in an emergency if it’s tucked away in a safe deposit box or in a file cabinet somewhere.