Everyone needs a Healthcare Power of Attorney specifically naming someone to be their agent in health matters. In my opinion, it's more important than a power of attorney for financial and other matters. If someone in the family doesn't have a HCPOA for their parents, they are making a serious mistake.

Have your parents fill out a HCPOA and take it to their doctors, their hospitals; every time you accompany your parent to a new doctor, bring out that HCPOA and give it to them for their files. Have a copy of it taped to the fridge in your parents' homes.

Older people often don't ask questions. They often don't tell the truth in the doctor's office. When you need to intervene, or when you need more information, without a HCPOA, you're just one more voice in the crowd.

More than likely all of us are, at some point, going to need an advocate for our healthcare, Unfortunately, some medical care is profit motivated. Example: friend's brother has dementia, is deaf. He holds his brother's HCPOA. Brother went to the hospital from an assisted living facility, and his HCPOA received a call from a surgeon telling him his brother needed a bowel resection. Wanted permission to do the surgery. Brother refused. That was six months ago. He's had no further problems. Bowel resection? Wear a colostomy bag for the rest of his life? And he's doing just fine six months later? What if brother didn't hold his HCPOA? He would have had the surgery.

Without a HCPOA IN PLACE! a patient is 'at the mercy of' ER doctors and in-hospital docs...not even their own physician most of the time. If you don't have one for your parents or your spouse, get one at first opportunity. You will never be sorry. And you may be very grateful you stepped up.
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I like this article.

So true. I've had this happen to me several times when mom was still alive. And now with dad. The ER nurse and/or doctor would call me in to the ER hallway, ask me questions, then tell me to please go back out to wait. When they were released, I was not told what was wrong with them, was given a prescription to be filled, and that's it. Very frustrating. When the home care nurse comes to do a follow-up, I give them the ER discharge form, and they tell me what was found.

I know that the HIPAA is there to protect the privacy. But the medical community and the lawmakers need to understand that they're releasing patients to caregivers without instructions to help continue to care for them. Then when something goes wrong, they're so fast to accuse of elderly neglect or abuse. Dad refuses to give anyone any power over him. Last year, the hospital doctor kept saying how sharp he is. So, I wing it. I write down everything, and let the home care nurses deal with my notes.
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Super helpful. Good timing -- I have an appointment next week to get necessary papers drawn up by an attorney and this article makes it easier to discuss legalities with him. Thank you!
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