State Your Medical Preferences For The Future
Last updated on August 6, 2020
When we are healthy, we can muse about our views on medical interventions that might be attempted in case of our incapacity caused by a health crisis. We may believe we know what we would:
- Want or not want for ourselves
- Approve of or disapprove of
- Accept or reject
If such a time comes, however, we will likely be unable or incompetent to express our wishes out loud. However, a legal document known as an advance directive can do so through words and verifiable signatures.
In case of an emergency, if a doctor asks your loved one(s) whether you would want a blood transfusion, feeding tube or intubation, what would that person say? Might there be bitter arguments among family members or between family and medical personnel? Your well-crafted advance directive can prevent this scenario by spelling out your wishes while you are well, to apply someday if you are too weak to clarify your point of view for doctors. The remarkable function of an advance directive is its power to bring our voice into the equation at a time of urgent medical need.
A thoughtful estate planning attorney can help you create an advance directive that will protect your interests in a time of need. For greater protection, you may opt to create a medical power of attorney giving a designated person (your agent) the right to make decisions on your behalf in case you cannot.
The combination of an advance directive to spell out your most important preferences and medical power of attorney to specify your chosen spokesperson in case of doubts or conflicts can give you peace of mind now, and potentially, additional confidence and peace of mind for your family (or another chosen agent) at some future time.
Let Our Experience Guide You
Our well-prepared estate planning lawyers are available to work closely with you in drafting and formalizing an advance directive – a small but important investment that could make a great difference for you and your family in a time of crisis.
We will gladly work with you in person or through telecommunications to arrive at an advance directive that will meet your needs. We will also share tips on how to maximize the likelihood that the people who need to see it will be able to find it promptly if the need arises.
Contact our Maryland firm by email to schedule an initial consultation or call 301-668-5111. From our offices in Frederick, Silver Spring and Upper Marlboro, Wampler & Souder, LLC is here to help you understand your options and put an estate plan in place as a legacy for others who may take care of you and your affairs someday.