Choosing the Right Trustee
It is never too early to write your living will. This is a kind of directive, prepared in advance giving instructions about how treatment should be conducted in the event of illness. Orders can be very specific such as what to do when the heart stops beating or when the brain stops working. You can refuse certain procedures such as life support or external feeding. These end-of-life decisions are discussed with relatives and put into writing.
Perhaps the most important decision to make when preparing advanced medical directive is choosing the trustee and providing family caregivers to assume the responsibilities. A good choice will ensure that a loved one is properly cared for. Sometimes, powers of attorney are named. These persons can make health care decisions in behalf of the maker. The appointed health care proxy has, in essence, the same rights to request or refuse treatment that the individual would have if still capable of making and communicating health care decisions.