Choose a Health-Care Decision Maker in Irvine

Start with the role you want someone to fill

The central choice is who you want to designate as your health-care decision maker. Consider whether a prospective agent understands your priorities, can communicate with you and others, and is someone you would trust to act in a health-care decision-making role. These are practical questions to discuss as you consider whom to name, not a legal checklist or a medical recommendation.

It can help to think through how the person might respond if asked to make a decision on your behalf, including whether they would seek clarification when your wishes are unclear. Discuss the role with the person you are considering so you can understand their willingness to take it on and whether they understand what matters to you.

• Who would you trust to make health-care decisions for you?
• Can that person communicate with you and others about the role?
• Would you be comfortable with that person acting when you cannot make or communicate a decision?

Consider alternates and communication

You may also want to discuss whether to name an alternate and how your chosen people should communicate with one another. Think about practical circumstances that could make your first choice unavailable, and whether an alternate would understand the same priorities. These conversations can help you assess whom to name; they do not, by themselves, grant anyone authority.

Before deciding, consider what information you want your agent to understand about your values and how you would like questions or uncertainty handled. You can discuss these preferences with the people you are considering without treating that conversation as a substitute for the documents.

Keep the appointment separate from treatment preferences

Naming an agent addresses who may make health-care decisions. Written treatment preferences address what you want people to understand about your care. They are related planning subjects, but they answer different questions. This page focuses on selecting and communicating with the person who may act; it does not provide medical recommendations or decide what treatment you should choose.

You can prepare by listing topics you want to discuss with your prospective agent and questions you have about expressing preferences in writing. Keep your own choices distinct from the agent’s role: a conversation about what matters to you helps communicate your priorities, while the designation identifies who is appointed to make health-care decisions.

Understand what this appointment does not cover

Health-care authority and financial authority serve different purposes. A person designated for health-care decisions is not thereby given authority over financial matters. If you want someone to address financial matters as well, discuss that as a separate planning question rather than assuming one appointment covers both.

A useful next step is to make a short list of the person or people you are considering, your reasons for considering them, and the questions you want to resolve about communication, alternates, and written preferences. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. provides virtual services throughout California from its Novato office.