One of the things you need to do when estate planning is to name a health care surrogate. This is someone who will make health care decisions on your behalf if you lose your ability to decide for yourself. They will follow the instructions included in your living will and make other decisions.
So, who should you choose to serve as your health care surrogate among your loved ones?
Someone you trust
Your surrogate will make important treatment decisions for you. Thus, you should pick someone you trust to follow your instructions and make other choices in your best interest.
Someone who can make decisions quickly
If you have a trustworthy loved one skilled in making informative decisions quickly, they may be the most suitable surrogate for you. This is because, in most cases, surrogates are required to make decisions quickly. The information they have about your health may change in minutes. Accordingly, they may need to make a different decision.
Choosing someone who can’t take the pressure of deciding within a short period as your surrogate may be a big ask.
Someone confident to ask questions
Your surrogate will need to ask your doctors and family questions to make informed decisions. Therefore, choose someone confident to ask tough questions.
Someone who can handle conflicting opinions
Not every decision your surrogate will make will agree with your family’s opinions or even your doctor’s. While they should consult these parties to understand situations better, you want a surrogate who can make the sort of choice you would take for yourself, even when others disagree.
You can spot someone with these qualities by closely looking at your loved ones’ daily lives. After finding one, consider legal guidance to verify their appointment.