Who do you trust to make medical care decisions for you? Life is unpredictable, and while you may have the capacity today to make your decisions, this may not always be the case. Naming a healthcare surrogate can protect your medical care wishes. These four circumstances are when your surrogate can be a helpful asset.
What Is a Healthcare Surrogate?
A surrogate is someone legally authorized to make medical care decisions on your behalf. The healthcare surrogate communicates with medical professionals to coordinate your care. They ensure that you receive the best treatment options for your needs and that your treatment adheres to your wishes. They advocate on your behalf to be your voice when you cannot do so for yourself.
1. Illness
Whether a slow or rapidly advancing illness, a healthcare surrogate can become a helpful ally. Because you may not be incapacitated, your say is the final word on your care. However, your healthcare surrogate can still act on your behalf. They can obtain, gather, and organize medical information for you. They can communicate with doctors and staff on your behalf. This becomes useful when you have become too tired or fatigued to do these tasks yourself. It is also useful to have someone join you for medical care conversations, as they can take notes and remember things that you may not.
2. Accident
Because accidents are unpredictable, having a healthcare advocate named now would be helpful. That way, if the worst happens, you have someone ready to step up. A healthcare surrogate will step into their role if you become incapacitated in an accident. This commonly happens with head injuries or those that result in a coma. The healthcare surrogate will remain in their role until you recover enough to make decisions for yourself.
3. Medical Condition
Some medical conditions can incapacitate adults, requiring them to seek assistance for their care. Examples of these conditions would be neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Medical conditions can impact mental health and cognitive processing. Because these conditions can be progressive, having a surrogate involved in your care early on can give them better insight into your wishes later when you become incapacitated.
4. Aging Relative
As we age, several medical conditions can cause us to lose the mental capacity to make sound decisions. When this happens, they may be unable to make medical decisions. By having a healthcare advocate named, a trusted individual can step into the role. This ensures your loved one continues to get the quality of care they need and deserve. The named healthcare surrogate will have the final say, eliminating medical care delays as family members may disagree. It can also ensure that the aging relative is not taken advantage of in their vulnerable state.
It is also essential to have a healthcare surrogate to ensure you stay informed of your aging relative’s condition. Often, HIPAA laws prevent medical staff from disclosing information. This can leave family members in the dark about what is going on. A properly prepared healthcare surrogate form can resolve this issue. The appointed person can be the point of contact for the medical staff and then keep the rest of the family informed.
Name a Healthcare Surrogate
Having a surrogate designated will ensure you are prepared should any of these situations happen to you. Life is unpredictable, so it is better to name one now than wait until it is too late. Choose an individual you trust to make decisions that align with your wishes.
Schedule a consultation with our team of attorneys to include a healthcare surrogate designation in your estate planning documents.
