Healthcare Proxies

In Elder Law there is a concept of Healthcare Proxy, which is a document signed by an elderly person in the presence of witnesses. Signing a Healthcare Proxy means that one is granting another individual the power to make health care decisions in the event that he/she is incapable of doing so yourself.
A Healthcare Proxy can be compared to a Living Will, with the only difference that a Living Will does not designate a particular individual to carry out your wishes, but rather sets forth certain guidelines which a health care provider would follow in the case of your disability. Healthcare Proxies are authorized by New York State Law. Regardless of your philosophical or religious beliefs concerning such issues, it is strongly recommended that all persons have a Healthcare Proxy, so that their own personal desires and wishes are carried out.