Medical power of attorney forms were first written several decades ago for the men and women who were in the armed forces. Men and women fought to save lives; unfortunately, some individuals had their lives taken, as well. The families were at a loss, due to the age of the individual, they likely did not have a will. The military put a stop to the confusion and family embitterment with a medical
. power of attorney.The power of attorney in any situation is a document that states who will have the authority to make decisions on any individuals behalf. The medical power of attorney form is a bit more direct. This form saves families from suffering and having to make the decision on what to do in the case of a serious accident that puts an individual in a critical state. The letter also eliminates the need for the family feuding over the individuals decision, as it is likely that all family members were made well aware of the individuals wishes before any situation occurred.There are several documents that address how health decisions should be made when an individual is incapacitated by illness or injury. Sometimes called a medical power of attorney, those documents include: Advance directive, health care proxy, living will, and advanced decisions. Documents vary from state to state so when possible get forms from a local source such as your library, doctors office, legal service or county health center.There is a new document called Five Wishes that is recognized by many states. Most states require these points be included in the recognized document: Designation of a proxy (decision maker), Instructions for acceptable care, life-sustaining measures that are acceptable, and acceptable measures in the case of terminal illness. There are many online sites that offer free medical directive forms and power of attorney forms. More reference links: http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3286 http://www.free-legal-document.com/medical-power-of-attorney-form.html