Health Services - Senior Citizen's Guide

The second part of the document
is your Living Will, which only
applies if: 1) you cannot make or
communicate health care decisions,
and 2) you have an end-stage medical
condition or are permanently
unconscious. You can specify which
treatments and procedures you do
or do not wish to receive if you are
in such a condition, such as dialysis
and feeding tubes.
Guardianship proceedings may
be initiated by anyone interested
in your welfare if you cannot make
or communicate decisions about
your finances, property, or health
care, and you have not authorized
someone else to make such decisions
in the documents discussed above.
Depending upon the circumstances,
the court may appoint a guardian
whom you do not trust, or whom
you may have never met, to make
decisions for you. Additionally,
guardianship proceedings can be
expensive and time-intensive.
Regardless of your age or
financial situation, a basic estate
plan can help you protect yourself
and provide for your loved ones.
By Elanor R. Snyder, Esquire.
Disclaimer: This article is meant for
general information purposes, is not
to be relied upon as legal advice, and
does not create an attorney-client
relationship between the writer and
the reader.
Boomers Resource Guide • Summer/Fall 2013 37