Getting Ready For Houston Long Term Senior Care
Long-term care is a sobering prospect. It is when an individual puts into writing how they want the end of their life to play out. For example, they name someone to work with them on determining what their healthcare will look like. That individual takes over the decision-making process when the patient can no longer give input.
Planning for long-term care involves going over the person’s wishes and getting legal documents into place. Both a living will and power of attorney is necessary. It is also important to set up a health care proxy; the health care proxy can be someone that the patient knows or someone they work within a professional capacity, like their lawyer. That person deals with all health care decisions when the person is unable to speak for themselves.
There is a lot to take into account when thinking about long-term care. The individual’s values and beliefs factor into the process heavily. However, you also must take into consideration their finances as well as how they want to handle the end of their life.
For many, death is not something they want to think or talk about. To open up the lines of communication, you can discuss your own ideas. Doing so is particularly valuable if you’ve helped another person with their end of life care. When you are placed in this position, it is important to take their wishes into account as much as possible. It may not be easy, but it is important to the person.
If you are thinking about long-term care, you need to choose a person that you can rely on. That individual may have to make important decisions for you; they are your health care proxy. You want to select someone that you think will carry out your wishes no matter what happens.
Planning Documents
Another phrase for the documents involved with end of life care is advanced directives. This includes DNR (do not resuscitate) orders, durable power of attorney, medical power of attorney and living wills.
Living wills are legal documents. The individual outlines what they want to happen with their health care when they can no longer speak for themselves. They can discuss what they do want to happen and what they do not want to happen. A living will is not the only document involved, however; there can be other documents that outline your wishes to other relevant people, like those in your family or your attorney.
A health care proxy is your medical power of attorney. This person is the one in charge of making decisions about your healthcare. If you can’t speak up on your own behalf, they will do so and they are charged with ensuring that your wishes are carried out. You can often find a form online that helps you name your health care proxy.
The next planning document is the durable power of attorney. This is where you charge someone with making monetary decisions. They may also weigh in on business concerns and tax issues as well. The durable power of attorney does not make decisions related to health care. That is a job for the medical power of attorney.
You may have heard of a DNR or do not resuscitate order. Some people include this document as a way of letting others know that they do not want life-saving measures to take place if there is a respiratory failure or a heart attack. There are several ways to set up a DNR; you can talk to your healthcare providers, for example, and get something set up that way.
Working with a lawyer through this process is important. Specifically, you want to partner with someone that takes on elder cases. In addition, thinking about Houston in home care is another part of the process.
For more information, please feel free to call us or contact us today! Visit our blog for more related articles.
Latest posts by garrettl (see all)
- Superfoods for Seniors in Texas: Top Vegetables for a Healthy Diet - December 23, 2023
- Making Health a Priority: Senior Nutrition and Healthy Aging Guide - December 16, 2023
- A Tribute to Caregivers In Texas: Understanding Their Role and Showing Gratitude - December 9, 2023