Medical Power of Attorney, any advice?

Thanks everyone for your input. This whole thing came up because of the pandemic. While my mom has no problems making medical decisions, she's not going to be around forever. Plus, with my dad's issues we've been noticing, I just couldn't quite figure out what to do without feeling weird.

I'll talk to my sister and a friend. The state of Wisconsin has all the forms available online with instructions. I know my mom won't care who it is, she just wants it taken care of.

Hi, not sure what state you are in, but the easiest way to handle this at your age for healthcare decisions would be to get an Advance Directive. It usually depends on your state you can pull one up online or most hospitals can supply you with one to fill out. POA will help with the financial piece. However if you don’t have a lot of finances you can just add a designated person to your bank accts etc. in case there is a need to access money. also you should definitely not add your parents unfortunately right now it is not a good idea with their current health concerns. Your sister should be the one if that is whom you trust or even a friend. it does not have to be a family member. I work in healthcare and I see it all the time someone will designate outside of family as a POA and healthcare agent these are two separate things .. and again it depends on your state. Good luck and don’t worry I waited for a while to do this same thing you just don’t think of these things but now in the current state of things it is a good idea.

1. Given your age, the MPOA in all likelihood will just sit in a drawer. So don't get its importance out of proportion: it is much likelier than not that it won't be needed.

2. In the event that it is needed, it arguably should not be in the hands of people who will be sentimental about medical decisions. That rules out your parents (which is handy, because for other reasons they're not ideal); I don't know if it rules out your sister. It sure as heck wouldn't rule out mine, but then my sister is not someone I'd pick unless I wanted to be donated to medical science while still alive...

3. The person does not have to have medical expertise, they just have to be the sort of person you'd be content to put on a jury, say. Someone who is capable of listening to information and doing a fair average job of evaluating it, alongside implementing your stated wishes with common sense.

I don't know what field you work in, but do you have a friend or reliable co-worker you could suggest doing this with? - you do hers, she does yours sort of arrangement. As the urgent need - because I assume it's Covid that prompted your mother to prompt you - is short term, this might do the trick nicely.

Read through your state's guidelines on POLST and advance directives before you sign anything. They're often helpful in alerting people to issues that might otherwise not occur to them.

To be frank I would take this out of your parent's hands. Put in in the hands of your sister if you trust her to do this for you. Make it clear in a sit down conversation exactly what you DO want and exactly what you DO NOT want. Make certain she understands your wishes. Put them in writing. Know that you can add a sheet of specific instructions, as per your wishes. Do not make it two people. You may put down a successor if one person is unable, but do not make two people, as it leads to bickering. Make your instructions SPECIFIC as you are able. For instance "I will accept parenteral (IV) nutrition for no more than 3 months; I will accept tube feedings for no more than 3 months" or "Should I remain in comatose state or unable to answer and act for myself for more than 3 months I would ask that my care become palliative, and I would request hospice care with no artificially delivered nutrition" This supplement should be attached to the form you fill in. And you should discuss everything with your Sister, or whomever you choose.