Choosing a Health-Care Decision Maker in Montclair

Start with the person, not the form

Think about who could listen carefully, communicate your wishes, and make decisions in a stressful situation. Trust matters, but so does practical ability: consider whether the person is willing to take on the role and whether you can have candid conversations together.

A useful preparation step is to make a short list of people you are considering and note what makes each a good fit. Then identify questions you want to discuss with them before settling on a choice.

• Would this person be comfortable speaking with others about your care?
• Can you talk openly about your priorities and concerns?
• Would naming this person create avoidable confusion among people close to you?

Consider an alternate and the communication plan

Consider who you would want to serve if your first choice could not take on the role. Naming a possible alternate is also an opportunity to think through how the people involved will understand your wishes and communicate with one another.

Before making a decision, discuss how you would like information shared and who should be contacted. These are practical conversation topics, not a substitute for deciding who will have the health-care decision-making role.

• Ask each person whether they are willing to be considered.
• Discuss how they would learn what matters to you and share your views with others.
• Consider whether your preferred primary person and alternate can communicate constructively.

Separate health-care authority from financial authority

Health-care authority and financial authority serve different purposes. A person you choose for health-care decisions is not, by that choice alone, the person you have selected to handle financial matters. Review each role separately so that a name in one plan is not mistaken for authority in another.

An ownership or authority question can change the next step: are you trying to identify who may make health-care decisions, or who may manage finances? If you are considering both, keep those questions distinct and ask how each should be addressed in your planning.

• List the health-care role and financial role separately.
• For each role, write down your preferred person and any concerns to discuss.
• Ask about the scope of the authority you intend to assign rather than assuming one appointment covers both.

Discuss the appointment and your treatment preferences

Choosing a decision maker answers who you want involved in health-care decisions. Separately, consider what you want that person to understand about your treatment preferences. Naming an agent and communicating your preferences address different parts of your planning conversation; choosing an agent does not by itself tell that person what matters to you.

Prepare topics you want to discuss, such as what you would want your chosen person to know and how you would like them to approach conversations about your care. This page does not provide medical recommendations. The aim is to help you identify the questions you want to raise when planning.

• Write down the values, concerns, or preferences you want to communicate.
• Ask your proposed agent how you can make your wishes clear to them.
• Keep the discussion about your preferences distinct from the question of who will hold health-care decision-making authority.

Plan with Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C.

Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. has one in-person office at 802 Grant Ave, Novato, California, and provides virtual services throughout California, including Montclair. A planning discussion can help you organize your choice of agent and alternate, clarify the authority question you are addressing, and prepare the preferences you want to communicate.

• Before a conversation, bring your list of possible agents, alternates, and questions.
• Be ready to explain what you want each person to understand and which authority you are seeking to address.