Palm Harbor Advance Directives Lawyer

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. helps people name health care surrogates and more to protect them as they age.

Palm Harbor Advance Directives

As you age, two things become increasingly important: maintaining your autonomy and not burdening your family. You worry about losing your ability to make decisions for yourself, and you don’t want to be a burden to the people you love. That’s why advance directives are so important. These health care directives allow you to decide what care you will receive if you become incapacitated. Also, you can name someone to make healthcare decisions for you that align with your wishes. Then, your loved ones will know what you want and need, so they won’t have to struggle with making decisions.

Our Palm Harbor advance directive lawyer can discuss your needs and prepare all necessary documents. Then, you will be prepared for the future, regardless of what it may bring.

Types of Advance Directives

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. can help you add a range of advance directives to your estate plan. Common advance directives include a:

  • Living will
  • Health care surrogate

Living Wills in Palm Harbor

A living will is one of the most important advance directives you can create. This document will outline the type of medical treatment you wish to receive if you are incapacitated or terminally ill. For instance, you can choose if you want respirators and feeding tubes if you cannot verbalize your wishes.

A living will does more than ensure that your wishes are honored. It also prevents your family members from having to make difficult decisions on your behalf. Without such a document in place, your loved ones will have to decide what type of care to choose, and they will always wonder if they did the right thing. You will protect them as much as yourself when you visit a Palm Harbor advance directive lawyer.

Health Care Surrogates in Palm Harbor

Your Palm Harbor advance directive lawyer will also help you designate a health care surrogate. This person will make health care decisions for you if you become incapacitated. The health care surrogate will follow the guidelines in your living will when making decisions. However, your surrogate will also encounter situations that aren’t included in the living will, so he or she will need to act in your best interests. Therefore, it’s wise to have a conversation with your health care surrogate about your desires, so he or she will know how to carry out your wishes.

If you don’t have a health care surrogate, a health care proxy will be appointed to make decisions if you become incapacitated. The appointed surrogate will face an undue burden since he or she might not be prepared to make decisions for you. Thus, designating a health care surrogate is critical.

Living Trusts

When making an estate plan, you need to decide how to pass property and assets to your beneficiaries and make decisions like whether you want to avoid probate. 

WHY CHOOSE SHERRI M. STINSON, P.A.?

CHOOSING A HEALTH CARE SURROGATE

Choosing a health care surrogate is an important decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to select someone willing and comfortable carrying out your wishes and making difficult decisions, even if other loved ones disagree. The person should be in the Palm Harbor area to get to the medical facility quickly if needed. Finally, you need a health care surrogate who is not afraid to advocate for you. He or she might have to stand up to medical staff from time to time. This can be a challenging role to take on, so discuss it with the person before creating the advance directive.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER CREATING ADVANCE DIRECTIVES?

Once your advance directives are in place, speak to your physician. He or she can make a note of it in your chart. Then, choose a storage place for your advance directives so the forms can be accessed if you become incapacitated. Your Palm Harbor advance directives lawyer can keep them for you. You can also give them to a friend or family member. Finally, fill out a card with information about your advance directives, including where they are located. Put the card in your wallet or purse so medical staff can find it if you become incapacitated.

CONTACT US

Contact Us Today For a Case Consultation
Main Contact Form

* Required Fields

We respect your privacy. The information you provide will be used to answer your question or to schedule an appointment if requested.

Scroll to Top
Skip to content