How to Choose a Health Care Agent When You Don’t Have an Obvious Family Member
The most common reason people delay signing a Health Care Proxy is not confusion about what the document does. It is not knowing who to name. If you have no spouse and no adult children nearby, the usual default choice is missing, and that gap can stall the whole decision indefinitely. The good news is […]
Guardianship 101: What It Means to Have a Court Decide Who Manages Your Life
If there is no Health Care Proxy in place, and no family member willing or able to step in, the court appoints someone to make personal and medical decisions on your behalf. This is called guardianship, and it is worth understanding clearly, because it is the path a solo senior may end up on by […]
DNR, Health Care Proxy, Advance Directive: What Each One Actually Does
It can be confusing to understand what each one of these documents do. Each one covers a different question, and relying on only one, thinking it covers the others, can cause a problem. It is important to understand the purpose of each document: What a DNR Does A Do Not Resuscitate order is a medical […]
Who Shows Up When You Can’t Speak for Yourself?
What would happen if you fell or had a stroke, or a sudden illness lands you in the hospital and you cannot make decisions for yourself, even for a short time. Someone has to decide what happens next: what treatment you receive, where you go when you leave the hospital, who manages your bills while […]
What Happens If You Don’t Plan?
Do you know what happens if you fail to plan and you suddenly become unable to make decisions for yourself? If you don’t have a valid Health Care Proxy or Durable Power of Attorney, the court will likely appoint someone to make decisions for you through a Guardianship or Conservatorship proceeding.