#healthcare #will #powerofattorney

How can you protect you and your family when there is a medical emergency or you suffer from a very serious illness?

What are Powers of Attorney for Health Care?

A medical power of attorney is a legal document that lets you give 1 person who you choose the legal power to make important decisions about your medical care.The power of attorney also lets you name a second person if the first person is not available.These decisions might be about medication, surgeries, end-of-life-care, or other treatments.The first person is the one that doctors will talk to first. If they cannot get a hold of that person, then they will ask the second person.

When Do You Need It?
This person can only make decisions if you cannot make decisions for yourself. Two doctors, either medical doctors or clinical psychologists will have to examine you and sign a form saying that you cannot make decisions for yourself.

For example, your family would need this document if:
You have an illness that makes it so you can’t think clearly, like Alzheimer’s
You are in an accident that leaves you unconscious
You are under anesthesia

What Happens if You don’t Have It?
In the US, if there is a medical problem that leaves you unable to think clearly and make decisions, the doctors can only provide you with emergency medical care if you do not have a medical power of attorney. They will tell your family that they need to name someone your guardian. The legal guardian can then make decisions about your medical care.

It is a long process to name a guardian and the court will assign someone to your case called a “guardian ad litem”. This person will talk to your family members to try to learn about you and what you want. Your family might not like someone they don’t know asking personal questions about your family.

Choosing your Medical Care
When you create a medical power of attorney document, you will choose the people who can make decisions for you. This document can also detail what type of medical care you want. For example, do you want to be put on a machine that will breathe for you? If your heart stops, do you want doctors to try to restart it? Would you want tissue or organs put into your body that are from someone who has died?

The Benefits
These are hard and uncomfortable conversations to have, but if you talk about this with your Medical Power of Attorney, then your family doesn’t have to guess about what you want and the doctors will know what your wishes are too. It makes sure that you get the healthcare that you want when you need it.

When does it Start and Stop?
Your medical power of attorney can only make decisions when 2 doctors or one doctor and one psychologist say that you are unable to make decisions. For example, if you have a stroke, perhaps for the first few days, you cannot speak and decide what care you need. As you get better, you can start to make your own decisions and your medical power of attorney will stop.

How do you Make One?
If you want to create your own medical power of attorney document in Wisconsin, there are two forms available online. You fill these out and have two people, younger than you, watch you sign. They are called witnesses.

Here is the Link to Power of Attorney for Wisconsin.

It’s hard to think about what might happen in life. A Medical Power of Attorney will help your family prepare and know your wishes in an emergency. It can guide your family during difficult times and make it easier for them.
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Thank you to our sources who provided information for this video. Thank you to our partners at Milwaukee Public Schools. This project is funded in part through a City of Milwaukee grant of federal community development funds
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