Monday, June 26, 2023

You Need a Power of Attorney for Healthcare that protects your life

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

EPC received a call concerning health care decision-making for a parent. Based on privacy, I will not get into the specifics, but the person who contacted us was seeking advice on how to protect their parent from the medical decisions being made by a sibling who was appointed by the parent as the Power of Attorney for Personal care (substitute decision maker).

The person, who contacted us was the care-giver for the parent, but was not appointed by the parent as the healthcare substitute decision maker. The parent is now in the hospital and incompetent. The person who contacted us stated that the sibling was denying the parent effective medical treatment.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition sells the Life-Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care for $10 + taxes. $10 is a cheap price to protect your life.

Note: Representation agreements such as a Power of Attorney for Personal Care, Living Will, MOLST, POLST, etc. have different names in different jurisdiction.

The person who called us wanted to know how to over-ride the decisions of their sibling. Since the parent appointed the sibling as the substitute decision maker and the parent is not incompetent to make decisions, unless serious concerns can be proven in court, the sibling who was appointed to make medical decisions has the right to do so.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition  advises people to only appoint someone to be your substitute decisions maker if that person shares your values.

The Life Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care protects you from euthanasia and assisted suicide. It
ensures that your power of attorney will follow your values by defining the basic treatment decisions that you want in the event that you are unable to make decisions for yourself.

The Life Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care gives you the peace of mind that the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will help you if your expressed wishes are ignored or if a hospital or doctor pressures or attempts to impose decisions upon you.

Order the Life Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care (Information Link) for $10 + tax at: 1-877-439-3348 or info@epcc.ca

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are different forms for provinces- do you have those posted here??

Alex Schadenberg said...

The link in the blog article works: https://epcc.ca/product/life-protecting-power-of-attorney-for-personal-care/

If you want a USA form just email us at info@epcc.ca

Anonymous said...

Can this form be used in my Country

Anonymous said...

You can access the USA form at https://epc-usa.org/resources/

Anonymous said...

I do not understand why the EPC is charging money for the Power of Attorney for Healthcare.
It should be on your webpage for downloading.

Voice of Gone Ballistic said...

My understand is if you have an advanced directive it would override the decision of a substituted decision maker.

Alex Schadenberg said...

We are a not for profit organization. The $10 for the Power of Attorney document is a cheap price to protect your life and provides a small income for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. If everything was free there wouldn't be a Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

Anonymous said...

Alex, what's the difference between your POA form and a free one that can be downloaded for free and customized to the individual wishes and values?

Alex Schadenberg said...

The language within the document is everything.
We have written this document to protect your life and ensure that you receive treatment that is of benefit to you, that you are not dehydrated to death or killed by euthanasia and that the person you appoint as power of attorney will be respected.

It is also written with clear language that everyone will understand.

Tim said...

Ten dollars is a small price to pay for such a huge and life altering momentous piece of legal and binding paper! Thank you

Anonymous said...

Just a query: Does it cover starvation and pain management care?

Alex Schadenberg said...

Yes, it covers the questions of nutrition and hydration, DNR, pain management, but it clearly places the decision making power into the hands of the person who you have appointed as power of attorney.

Anonymous said...

I believe I paid for this when got a membership but did not receive? Would it have been a link for me to download?

Alex Schadenberg said...

Email us at info@epcc.ca and we will send it to you immediately.