December 4, 2006
By Rachel Decker
Most of us will never forget Terri Schiavo's case, or her fate. Without a
living will, the courts were responsible for making decisions regarding
her medical care, never knowing what she really wanted. With her family in
an uproar against her husband, it was a long, tiring and painful battle
that could have been prevented.
The Schiavo case is a wake-up call for all of us. We must realize just how
important it is to make our end-of-life care wishes known in writing
before-hand. Writing these wishes down means we prevent the courts from
interfering in our medical and personal lives, preventing complicated
battles such as the Schiavo conflict.
You can write these wishes down in a living will, also known as a
healthcare directive, which states your wishes about medical care at the
end of your life and what should be done about life-prolonging
procedures. In it you can list specific treatments you do and do not want.
A power of attorney for health care, also known as a health-care proxy,
can help you with your end-of-life care decisions as well. This is a legal
document in which you authorize another person to have specified legal
authority to act on your behalf. This person, known as an "attorney in
fact" or an "agent" (although the person need not be a lawyer), makes sure
that your health- care decisions are carried out, and if necessary, makes
medical decisions for you. Whatever decision you make about your
end-of-life treatment, don't leave your family in the lurch. Although it
may not be easy, by expressing your wishes, you'll be doing them an
enormous favor.
HALT offers free living-will and durable power of attorney forms for every
state, available at our Web site, www.halt.org. You can also write to HALT
at 1612 K St., NW, Ste. 1102, Washington, DC 20006.
© 2006, The Cumberland Times-News
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