You may think that you, or a loved one, will never need to be in a nursing home, but the statistics show otherwise. 72% of women over the age of 65 will have an illness or injury that requires three months of nursing home care in their lifetime. For men over 65, 44% will experience the same. The risk simply cannot be ignored.
Unfortunately, some of these people will become disabled in a way that does not leave them in the physical or mental capacity to make medical decisions. Many will not have planned ahead, making the decision making process painful, and possibly expensive, for family members. The court may appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf that you would not have chosen, which could affect the outcome of your condition.
Here are some things to consider when planning for health care needs:
- Who can you count on to follow your wishes, rather than act on their own emotional preferences?
- Who has the knowledge of, or ability to research, medical issues?
- Who would be the least emotionally impacted by having to make a tough decision?
Likely, you had someone come to mind while answering these questions. If so, this person may be the best choice for an agent to act on your behalf. Appointing a health care power of attorney is the safest bet to avoid the need for the courts to appoint a guardian to make decisions for you.
