Healthcare Power of Attorney
Welcome to PNW Aging, where your healthcare decisions are in trusted hands. Choosing a health care agent is a crucial step in ensuring your medical preferences are honored when you cannot speak for yourself. At PNW Aging, we understand the importance of having a compassionate and knowledgeable advocate by your side. By appointing PNW Aging as your healthcare power of attorney, you empower a dedicated professional to make informed decisions based on your personal values and treatment goals. This advance directive, a durable power of attorney for health care, allows us, your chosen agent to collaborate with healthcare providers, ensuring your care aligns with your wishes. With PNW Aging, you can have peace of mind knowing your healthcare journey is guided by someone who truly understands your needs and priorities. Please note, as your health care agent, we do not manage your financial affairs.
What is Advanced Care Planning?
Advance care planning involves considering the healthcare you may need in the future. This process includes discussing, documenting, and sharing your preferences and values. Doing so helps ensure that others can make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you're unable to do so yourself. In such cases, a person close to you, known as a health care agent (also referred to as an attorney-in-fact, surrogate, or legal medical decision maker), would need to make these decisions.
It is crucial to prepare your health care agent by communicating how you would like them to make healthcare decisions for you.
What is an Advance Directive?
An advance directive is a voluntary legal document where you can outline your healthcare preferences in advance. It's important to share this directive with those who matter to you, such as your healthcare agent, loved ones, healthcare providers, clinic, and hospital. Regular updates to your advance directive are essential. Any adult aged 18 or older can create an advance directive.
In Washington state, there are two types of advance directives:
1. A durable power of attorney for health care
2. A health care directive
What makes a good Healthcare Agent?
Your health care agent SHOULD:
- Understand the responsibilities of a health care agent and be willing to take on this role.
- Communicate your goals, values, and preferences to your health care providers, and clearly articulate what “living well” or a “good day” means to you.
- Follow through with your decisions, even if they personally disagree, and be capable of making decisions during difficult or stressful situations.
Your health care agent CANNOT be:
- Under 18 years old.
- Your physician or their employee (unless they are your spouse, state-registered domestic partner, parent, adult child, or adult sibling).
- An owner, administrator, or employee of a health care or long-term care facility where you receive care or reside (unless they are your spouse, state-registered domestic partner, parent, adult child, or adult sibling).
What can a Healthcare Agent do?
If you are unable to make your own health care decisions, your designated health care agent will be responsible for making those decisions on your behalf. They will use the information provided in this advance directive, along with any discussions you’ve had, to guide your care. Following state laws and considering your goals, values, and preferences, your health care agent can:
- Decide on treatments and surgeries, including the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a breathing machine, a feeding tube, and other interventions.
- Determine whether to discontinue life-support treatment and prioritize comfort care.
- Access and release medical records for your care and manage applications for health care insurance benefits.
- Select the health care providers and organizations to deliver your health care.
