Health-Care Power of Attorney in Lompico, Santa Cruz County

A health-care power of attorney is about who may make health-care decisions for you—not who manages your finances. Before a consultation, consider whom you trust, how you want that person to communicate, and who could serve as an alternate. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. has one physical office in Novato and provides virtual services throughout California, including Lompico.

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Start with the decision-maker, not the paperwork

A health-care directive can designate an agent to make health-care decisions. That role is different from financial authority, which serves a separate purpose. Naming someone to handle finances does not, by itself, identify the person you want making health-care decisions.

Think first about the responsibilities involved. Your preferred agent might need to understand your wishes, communicate with others, and make decisions in a health-care setting. The right choice is personal: consider trust, judgment, communication, and whether the person is willing to take on the role. These are useful considerations to discuss, not legal qualifications.

Who would take your wishes seriously, even if relatives disagree?
Who can communicate clearly with you and the people involved in your care?
Would you be comfortable with this person making decisions when you cannot explain your preferences yourself?

Choose an alternate and think through communication

Consider whether you want to identify an alternate in case your first choice cannot serve. Reflect on the practical circumstances that could affect either person’s availability, such as distance, competing responsibilities, or difficulty reaching them. Discuss how much weight you want your agent to give to your own stated wishes and how you would want the agent to communicate with people close to you.

These questions help clarify your preferences; they do not establish legal requirements. Bring any uncertainty about the role or the choices you are considering to the consultation rather than assuming that a particular family relationship or communication arrangement is required.

Who is your first choice, and whom might you consider as an alternate?
How should your agent share information with family or other people you name?
Are there relationships or communication concerns that should be discussed privately?

Separate agent selection from treatment preferences

Choosing an agent answers who may make health-care decisions. Written treatment preferences address a different question: what you want others to know about your care. A health-care directive can designate an agent, but selecting an agent does not, on its own, explain all of your preferences.

For a focused consultation, make a short list of preferences or concerns you want to discuss separately from the identity of your agent. This page addresses agent selection and communication, not medical recommendations or decisions about particular treatments.

Write down the questions you want your agent to be able to answer about your wishes.
Identify any preferences you want to discuss in a separate conversation.
Keep medical questions for an appropriate health-care professional.

Prepare for a virtual consultation from Lompico

Before meeting remotely, gather the names and contact details of your proposed agent and alternate, if you have them, along with notes about why you are considering each person. Prepare a brief description of any family or communication issues you want to raise, and list questions about the agent’s role, authority, or how your choices should be reflected in a directive. You do not need to settle every choice before asking for guidance.

Lompico is an unincorporated community in Santa Cruz County; the firm’s physical office is in Novato, while virtual services are available throughout California. Santa Cruz County Superior Court provides a probate-division resource, but that general court information is not a step in choosing an agent and does not establish court approval of a routine health-care planning document. (GEO, COUNTY)

Have your candidate and alternate names ready, even if your choices are tentative.
Bring questions about the difference between health-care and financial authority.
Keep any existing planning documents available if you want to ask how they relate to your current choices.

Questions to discuss

Is a health-care agent the same as a person with financial authority?

No. Health-care authority and financial authority serve different purposes. A health-care directive can designate an agent for health-care decisions; financial authority is a separate matter.

What should I have ready before discussing an agent remotely?

Prepare the names of the people you are considering, any alternate, and notes about communication or availability concerns. Also list your questions about the agent’s role and preferences you want to discuss separately. These are practical preparation steps, not legal requirements.

Official resources

General information, not an assessment of your documents or circumstances. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. has one office at 802 Grant Ave, Novato, CA 94945, and offers virtual services across California. A remote consultation does not itself authorize remote signing or a remote court appearance.