A power of attorney gives a person the right to take care of financial and business affairs of another person. A living will gives a health care surrogate the right to make medical decisions for someone else when they become incompetent. However what happens when a person who has both of these documents has a medical emergency situation where they are not incompetent but can’t speak for themselves at that moment in time
I’m not an attorney, but a POA/living will should cover it. They’re not just for when someone has become incompetent, but any time they cannot make decisions for themselves.
This is why anyone 18 or older should have one, not just the elderly.
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Read the document. It shouldn’t be incompetent but incapable.
If all else fails, it’s family that makes the decision.
@Wintermute - Thanks that is a good point. I will reread that living will to see the exact wording used. My daughter is my health care surrogate and a lawyer is in the process of preparing a POA for me to name her as my POA
Typically poa are when you are incapable of providing input.
A friend of mine is in the icu. She can’t give opinions because she was sedated. She’s legally competent but incapable of giving directions
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