Lasting Power of Attorney: Planning for Just in Case
For a free 15 minute consultation to discuss your Lasting Power of Attorney please Speak To Me here.
Lasting Power of Attorney: planning for just in case
Most people, if they think about Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) at all, think of it as something associated with increasing age or a degenerative condition such as dementia; todays blog highlights the importance of LPAs in the case of sudden illness.
The inspiration for writing comes from the wonderful Jess Tuffield and hearing her experience as a sepsis survivor. Jess’s story highlights the fragility of health and raises the question who would talk for you if you suddenly lost the capacity due to sudden illness or accident? Jess developed sepsis aged 20 following a chest infection; now fully recovered Jess campaigns to raise money and awareness for sepsis. I spoke to Jess following an introduction from my daughter and both Jess and I realised what a great opportunity we had to show how important planning ahead is.
As a result of our conversation, I am delighted to be drafting Jess’s Lasting Power of Attorney. Conversations with Jess have also raised awareness of Lasting Power of Attorney in the sepsis survivor’s community and I have been supporting others with free information and answering questions about planning ahead. Thank you Jess too for hosting www.speakformelpa.co.uk as part of your page on collaborations.
Common misconceptions about Lasting Power of Attorney
Many people think that their next of kin has automatic rights to speak for them if they become unwell. The Office of the Public Guardian campaign shows 72% of people think your next of kin always gets the final say in treatment decisions at hospital but this is not the case – medical decisions need agreed consent of the person involved before a next of kin can make treatment decisions. To show agreed consent ahead of time a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare is needed. When making a Lasting Power of Attorney, the donor must decide in advance if their chosen decision maker (attorney) has the right to make decisions relating to life sustaining treatment.
It is the conversations behind making a Lasting Power of Attorney that matter and making sure that you have these important conversations with your attorney(s). Based on these conversations, understanding your values and what matters most to you, an attorney will have the foundations to make treatment decisions aligned to what you would choose for yourself. The sudden onset of sepsis is one situation that might result in a person becoming too unwell to make urgent treatment decisions for themselves.
Who would talk for you?
No one can predict for every situation and a Lasting Power of Attorney doesn’t aim to do this; a Lasting Power of Attorney simply allows you to nominate someone you trust and who knows you well enough to make the same treatment decisions you would want for yourself.
Sepsis is just one example of a sudden acute illness. COVID19 is currently taking centre stage in showing just how unpredictable and uncertain life can be and my call to arms is, as ever, think about who you would choose to talk for you if you became suddenly unable, have the conversation and make your Lasting Power of Attorney.
If you require information or would like me to draft your Lasting Power of Attorney contact me.