Even if you have enjoyed a healthy life so far, you simply cannot predict what might happen in the future. Indeed, an unexpected illness or catastrophic injury can cause your overall health to decline rapidly. You even eventually may become incapable of making your own health care decisions.
According to the National Institute of Health, you can name a person who can make medical decisions for you. While doing so allows you to keep some control over your medical care, you must choose the correct individual for the job. When picking your health care agent, ask three critical questions.
1. Are you comfortable in the role?
Because it is not easy to make life-and-death decisions for another person, not everyone is cut out to be a health care agent. Consequently, when choosing your agent, you should select an individual who understands your wishes and is willing to advocate for them.
2. Are you reachable?
Doctors often need to make quick decisions. If your health care agent is not reachable, physicians might not know what you want. Therefore, when picking your agent, you must be sure you find one that is available.
3. Can you put your personal feelings aside?
Your health care agent does not have to agree with your wishes, but he or she must respect them. If your intended agent is not willing to put his or her personal feelings aside, you should probably keep looking for an agent who is a better fit.
Ultimately, because it can take some time to find an optimal health care agent, it makes sense to begin your selection process as soon as you can.