Working The Puzzle From All The Angles

Estate planning for end of life care

On Behalf of | Feb 15, 2019 | Estate Planning

While it is quite easy for one to focus on what will happen to her property after she dies, it is equally important for a resident of the Chicago area to plan for what will happen to her as she ages and, consequently, starts facing health problems.

When a person starts having health problems, he will likely get in to a situation where he can no longer make medical decisions himself. Incidentally, this can happen to a much a younger person too, as in the case of an unanticipated illness or an accident.

In these situations, someone else will have to make critical medical decisions, even about life-and-death. Such decisions are very difficult, particularly when the family was not aware of their loved one’s wishes.

Likewise, medical professionals may have their own ideas of how best to treat the patient, and they may, rightly or wrongly, insist that the family have the proper legal authority before allowing them to have a voice in their loved one’s care.

As a previous post discussed, there are estate planning documents available to Illinois residents who want to make sure their final wishes about their medical care are both known and carried out.

An attorney, including the one who works at our law office, can ensure that these documents are properly prepared so that a family has them when they need them.

However, drafting these documents shouldn’t be approached as just another type of paperwork someone needs to fill out. We will also help someone wanting one of these documents consider their situation and the options available to them. That way, they can be assured that they have the right person in place to make decisions for them and that their wishes will indeed be respected.