In sickness and In health: The importance of having a healthcare proxy

Hello ENoir lovers!

Hoping that you all had a wonderful weekend.

This past weekend has been eventful from celebrating life to close calls in life.

Recently a loved one went into the hospital and this is one of my closest friends whom I’ve grown with in the past 10 years. As the sickness was unexpected, you could only imagine what went through many heads as to what the next move was. And as calm as this person was, to hear the words,

“…you know where everything is, all I ask is you take care of my child and my mom”,

The fear and the worry arose to new heights. As young as this person is and we say this about many people: do you have a health care proxy?

First of all, do you know what a healthcare proxy is?

A document stating that this particular agent or person you trust is designated to make decisions toward your health if you are unable to speak on your behalf. This document must be signed by the two parties and notarized. This is a document that remains active indefinitely unless terminated by the consenting party.

Many people have complex situations when it comes to family, so it’s best to have a person who is outside of immediate family and serves as a confidante. It is important that this decision is made before hand.

This is an example in New York State so please check with your local health department to see what would be required.

How does one go about choosing a health care proxy?

Vital questions to think about:

• Will this person be able to stand in on my behalf regardless of personal feelings?
• Do they have my best interest at heart?
• Will they be able to make difficult decisions in regards to my life?
• Will they be mindful of my wishes as documented?

This is not something that should be taken lightly and verbalized; even with the relationships we create outside of our families.

Regardless of age, this should be one of the things considered along with a life insurance policy. This is a long term investment that doesn’t cost as much as pain and grief as a family feud may cause.

Let’s take care of home for the long term.