Your Living Will and Power of Attorney Companion
As we all know, unexpected accidents and illnesses happen every day. Without warning, family members are often asked to make medical decisions and take care of financial matters for a loved one who becomes injured or ill. With only a few simple legal forms, you can put important medical and financial decisions in the hands of those you trust—and give them invaluable guidance for making what can be difficult decisions.
The forms in this book let you do three essential things:
state the kinds of medical treatment you do or do not want
name someone to carry out those health care wishes and make other necessary medical decisions for you, and
name someone to handle financial matters for you if you can no longer manage them on your own.
You can accomplish these tasks by completing two or three of the following basic legal forms, each of which is offered and explained in this book:
Advance Health Care Directive. Also called a “living will,” this is the official California form that lets you state your wishes for health care and name a trusted person who will work with doctors and other health care providers to be sure you get the kind of care you want. You can also use your advance health care directive to name the doctor you’d like to supervise your care, express your wishes about organ donation, and note what kind of body disposition and other final arrangements you would like. (A downloadable bonus guide provides more guidance on making final arrangements in advance.)
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Form. Some people who don’t want to receive life-prolonging treatment when close to death may also want to prepare a DNR form. If a medical emergency occurs, this form alerts emergency medical personnel that you do not wish to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
A close cousin to the DNR form is a California document known as a POLST. POLST stands for “Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment,” and it’s a form that can dictate not only your resuscitation preferences but other end-of-life care wishes as well. A POLST form is used only in a hospital or other medical care setting, and a health care provider can help you make one.
Durable Power of Attorney for Finances. This official California form allows you to appoint the person of your choice to manage your finances for you if someday you can no longer do so yourself. If you prepare this document, you won’t have to worry about who will pay your bills, manage your investments, handle your insurance claims, or take care of other essential financial tasks.
The forms in this book are straightforward and easy to complete—either by hand or using your computer. (You’ll find them as tear-outs at the back of the book, or you can download them for free from Nolo’s website, using the link below.) We give you detailed instructions and suggestions so that your documents will reflect your wishes. You probably won’t need a lawyer’s help, but we’ll alert you to the few situations where legal advice might be helpful or necessary.
Everyone should do at least a little bit of planning—it’s a great gift to your family. And with these simple forms, you can have a sound plan in place in a matter of hours.
