Many of us believe that our next of kin will automatically be able to make medical decisions for us if something unfortunate were to happen, but this isn’t entirely true.
Should the worst happen, your doctors will consult your family, or those closest to you, and will take their views into consideration when reaching a joint decision on how best to proceed. Your friends or family will be a strong voice in the decision making process, alongside your doctors, but will not have authority to make decisions on your behalf. The only way to ensure that your chosen family member or close friend can stand in your shoes and make decisions on your behalf is to appoint them as an attorney in a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).
A health and welfare LPA can only be used once you have lost the ability to make those decisions yourself and so it is a very important document which can ensure your voice is heard at the most important moment. As well as making medical decisions with doctors, a health and welfare LPA enables your attorneys to make decisions about your day to day routines such as what you eat or where you live.
Don’t leave your affairs to chance, by having suitable powers of attorney in place you can ensure that decisions made on your behalf are made by someone of your choosing. They allow you the chance to be able to discuss your wishes with your attorneys prior to any difficulties arising.
We have a dedicated and supportive team that are able to talk through the process of putting in place an LPA, as well as amending one that is already in place. For more information about powers of attorney read our latest insight, or contact a member of our specialist team and visit their hub page.
