Help for Drafting health care proxy

Submitted by CharlesP on Sun, 07/22/2012 - 12:05

MA Elder Law Questions and Answers

Hello. My wife has a very serious illness not necessarily life threatening but dangerous. She would like to update her health care proxy which she drafted over ten years ago in very generic terms. She'd like the new document to be more specific to her illness and the type of challenges she may face as the disease progresses. Unfortunately, she feels awkward asking her doctor to talk to her about this issue because she feels she needs an extended amount of time to talk through all of the questions that are currently bothering her. Do you have any thoughts about websites or other resources that she could tap into to help her with this type of planning? Thank you.

While I'm sorry to hear about

Submitted by The Editor on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 07:46.

While I'm sorry to hear about your wife's condition, I applaud her efforts to deal with these issues in a timely manner. Regardless of our age or out current health, we should all make sure our healthcare proxies are in order. I think the situation you describe is fairly common: In today's fast-paced medical practices, even doctors who want to make time for the type of discussion your wife has in mind find it difficult to do so. I'm afraid I don't know of any specific websites that would help, but I'd be surprised if there weren't some out there with advice written for specific illnesses. However, I do have another thought. Many elder law attorneys have relationships with geriatric nurses who are trained to deal with the types of issues your wife is dealing with. I'm sure your wife's doctor could also make a referral. An experienced nurse will be able to talk candidly about what your wife can expect from her particular illness and make practical suggestions for tailoring her health care proxy and living will accordingly. Hope that helps.

Talk to an Elder Lawyer Today

Most offer FREE Consultations

Barnstable	Select a County	Nantucket
Berkshire	Franklin	Norfolk
Bristol	Hampden	Plymouth
Dukes	Hampshire	Suffolk
Essex	Middlesex	Worcester

Read Similar Questions

Recent Posts about Massachusetts Laws

Forum	Last post
MA Divorce and Family Law Questions and Answers GRANDPARENT'S RIGHTS IN MA? My brother passed away from cancer 3 years ago and since then his wife has only made is possible for my parent.... That sounds like a very sad situation. I have never litigated on....	5/14/2013 21:04 by misstaymak
MA Landlord and Tenant Law Questions and Answers We are trying to get our security deposit returned and the landlord has been unresponsive We are trying to get our security deposit returned and the landlord has been unresponsive. We gave more than....	5/14/2013 12:26 by saunderswe
MA Criminal Law (Traffic Violations/Defense) Questions and Answers Can I sue my soon to be ex wife for slander Can I sue my ex wife for slander and deformation of character She has hacked into my face book page and chan....	5/11/2013 11:55 by ABernier
MA Real Estate Law Questions and Answers Landlord construction onsingle family house I moved in last Sept and landlord daughter lived next door. Her husband was "away on business" and I paid my r.... Generally speaking, in MA and other states, a landlord must not do any....	5/10/2013 21:31 by jeffbiologist
MA Employment Law (Workplace/Coworkers) Questions and Answers Secret recording of audio and video my MA employer So I'm somewhat versed in legal issues but not totally and I wanted to find out if this is considered both ill.... The audio portion of the recording seems like it could be an issue.&nb....	5/10/2013 20:55 by lm22
MA Law General Discussion taking plants bushes from foreclosed property stealing under MA law? My neighbor across the street from me foreclosed on their home, that of which has been so since December 2012..... Yes, that is stealing, and illegal.	5/10/2013 12:02 by FXMA
MA Estate Planning Law (Wills/Probate) Questions and Answers Voluntary Administration - How Detailed a Description of Property? I am filing a Voluntary Administration Statement in order to transfer the title of my late father's car so I c.... The practical answer is that whenever a third party is involved, you w....	5/3/2013 19:20 by masseddie
MA Bankruptcy Law Questions and Answers Bankruptsy and a prior quit claim deed I bought my home over 20 years ago, and I was the only name on the mortgage and deed. I quit claimed to my ex....	5/3/2013 19:20 by broke2now
MA Personal Injury Law Questions and Answers Injury in Massachusetts due to shopping cart @ grocery store Hello, a friend of mine (who is a barber by trade) was grocery shopping.. After putting groceries in her car s.... Thank you	4/20/2013 22:12 by CrisM
MA Mediation (Divorce, Family Law, Estate, and Elder Law) Can I live in tenant apartment after divorced? If I am co-owner of our 2 family home and have agreed to pay the entire mortgage as part of the divorce settle.... Dear Fool-in-love: The divorce settlement requires you to pay the full....	1/29/2013 20:41 by Fool-for-love
MA Medical Malpractice Law Questions and Answers Negligence in consultation notes and treatment? Several of my colleagues will dictate consultation notes in which they state they don't have the complete hist.... The question probably boils down to whether or not such practice is wi....	10/2/2011 18:37 by Anonymous

Search Existing Questions

Login to Post Questions

Tell Us What You Think

The Editor, Mark Bernardin, is an attorney living in MA. Please send your suggestions or comments to: TheEditor@malawforum.com

Disclaimer

The answers and information provided on this site are for informational purposes only and are NOT substitutes for professional legal advice. Before making legal decisions, you should discuss your specific circumstances with an attorney.