If you have an accident or suffer an illness, who will make medical and lifestyle decisions on your behalf?

Different states use different documents to deal with this issue. They are known as medical powers of attorney, enduring powers of guardianship and advance care directives. These allow you to appoint someone to make medical and lifestyle decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make them.

They can include medical treatments that you do or do not wish to have, such as life support, or arrangements such as whether or not you wish to live in a nursing home. You can be very specific about your wishes for future care and include directions such as ‘no chemotherapy’, ‘I wish to die at home, rather than in care’ or ‘no resuscitation’, or you may be happy to leave the decisions to your substitute decision-makers.

How we can help you

Drawing up a medical power of attorney, enduring power of guardianship or advance care directive will give you peace of mind that your wishes are known and will be respected if others need to make decisions for you.

For more information on medical and lifestyle decisions, please speak to your adviser or call us on 1800 882 218.