communicating wishes for medical treatment in advance of a crisis is one of the most important steps we can take. many legal tools are available for this purpose. none quite as valuable however as the health care proxy according to charlie sabatino director of the american bar association's commission on law and aging. a health care proxy (also called a health care power of attorney) appoints another person to make health care decisions for you in cases when you are unable to do so for yourself. that's why it's so important to choose someone you trust and who knows your wishes to weigh the medical facts of your particular situation and make decisions most closely aligned with what you would decide for yourself. to help you think through the process the american bar association offers a consumer's tool kit for health care advance planning on its website. included in the tool kit is a proxy quiz developed to provoke in-depth discussions about a person's wishes so that everyone is on the same page.
how do i put together a health care proxy?