Medical needs can be addressed in an advance directive plan

March 23, 2018
Kevin Tharpe

Executing a long-term plan to protect an elder parent’s estate and provide for his or her well-being is often a challenging process. Many adult children in Georgia and beyond assist their aging parents in such matters. Because it’s somewhat common for older people to have special health concerns, many people choose to address medical needs in their long-term care plans.

Knowing that various types of decisions may need to be made as time goes on regarding medical care of an elderly person, it often helps to include an advance directive as part of a long-term plan. An elderly person’s overall health as well as how a particular condition might progress are key factors to consider when executing advance directive documents. Although the future is generally unpredictable, it is sometimes possible to sense what types of crises or health decline may potentially occur in light of certain existing health factors.

An advance directive is used to provide written instructions and preferences regarding possible medical decisions that might need to be made down the line. Some issues, such as whether dialysis should be used if kidneys cease to function properly or whether a feeding tube should be activated to provide fluid and nutrition if a patient can no longer drink or eat, are often addressed in an advanced directives plan. Some people also choose to include a “Do not resuscitate” order in their advance directive plans if they want to be allowed a natural death should their hearts stop beating.

A person needn’t have current urgent medical needs in order to sign an advance directive. In fact, many long-term care planning advisers would say sooner is always better than later when it comes to such issues. A Georgia attorney experienced in elder law can assist any adult child or elder person seeking legal support regarding such documents.

Source: webmd.com, “Advance Directive: What to Include – Topic Overview“, Accessed on March 5, 2018

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Kevin Tharpe

With 25 years of experience, Kevin understands how estate planning, special needs planning, and government benefits programs work together. This is a crucial element of a thorough plan. He explains your eligibility for benefits programs and ensures that you do not make costly mistakes that may disqualify you or deplete your assets.

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