Tampa Healthcare Power of Attorney
The Tampa region has one of the largest elderly populations in Florida, if not the United States. As our population continues to age, however, there are increasing concerns about how these individuals will receive healthcare, especially if they reach a point where they no longer have the physical or mental capacity to speak with their own doctors. When this does happen, someone will need to step in on behalf of the incapacitated person to make critical–and often end-of-life–healthcare decisions.
Under Florida law, anyone of sound mind can make advanced directives. These are documents explaining your wishes regarding healthcare and, just as important, naming someone to make any necessary decisions for you should the need arise. An experienced Tampa healthcare power of attorney lawyer can assist you in preparing these documents. Knudsen Law is a full-service Florida estate and probate firm that assists clients in helping to ensure their interests and rights are protected should the worst happen.
Understanding How Florida Advance Directives Work
Although advance directives are sometimes referred to as a “healthcare power of attorney,” it is important to distinguish those documents from a traditional Florida general power of attorney. With a power of attorney, you appoint an agent to manage money, real estate, or other property on your behalf. Some powers of attorney take immediate effect, while others are only triggered by your incapacity. But an agent’s authority is limited by a power of attorney to managing your finances, not your personal healthcare decisions.
So when we speak of a healthcare power of attorney, we are really talking about some combination of the following documents:
- A Designation of Healthcare Surrogate: This is similar to a power of attorney in that you name an agent (surrogate) to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are declared legally incapacitated. Only your surrogate can access your medical records, talk to your doctors, and give consent to medical procedures.
- A Living Will: This is a written statement of your wishes with respect to any end-of-life care. Essentially, you are letting your doctors know in advance if you wish to continue receiving life-sustaining treatment if you suffer from a terminal disease or are in a persistent vegetative state.
- A Do Not Resuscitate Order: A DNR also deals with end-of-life situations. But it is an order specific to the question of whether to attempt resuscitation of a person when their heart has stopped beating or they are no longer breathing. Unlike a living will, which is generally prepared under the supervision of a qualified attorney, a DNR is typically a form provided by the hospital or healthcare provider, which is then signed by the patient and doctor and placed with the patient’s medical records.
Contact Our Tampa Healthcare Power of Attorney Lawyers Today
We all want to believe that we are in charge of our own fates. But when circumstances rob us of our ability to communicate with our healthcare providers, it is important we take advance steps to ensure our wishes are understood and carried out. If you would like to speak with a Tampa healthcare power of attorney lawyer, contact Knudsen Law today at (727) 398-3600 to schedule a consultation.