An Advance Health Directive in Perth, also referred to as a Living Will, enables you to make a decision on the healthcare treatments you are willing to, or opposed to, undergo should you be legally incapacitated to make such decisions.
- Hoe Lawyers is committed to providing you with excellent, transparent and affordable legal assistance and advice on Estate Law, such as obtaining an Advance Health Directive (AHD) in Perth. As a team of Living Will lawyers with years of experience in providing legal services and helping clients make the most impactful decisions in their life, we make sure that all the issues and details are presented to you before we proceed with any legal action.
An Advanced Health Directive (AHD) can play a significant role in your end-of-life planning. Procuring an AHD can ensure that those plans remain firmly in place, even if you find yourself lacking capacity. Whilst still in your prime, outline your preferred medical treatments and healthcare procedures through obtaining an Advance Health Directive. This legally binding document allows you to provide or deny the consent that medical practitioners require prior to proceeding with any sort of treatment, so you can ensure that your wishes are fulfilled.
- As a law firm in Perth with more than a decade of experience in Estate Law, Hoe Lawyers is committed to providing you a standard of legal services that always has your best interests in mind. Whether you need a Living Will, Last Will and Testament, Probate and Letter of Administration, or Enduring Powers of Attorney and Guardianship, we always ensure to be comprehensive and clear, in both verbal and written forms.
We have worked with and satisfied over hundreds of clients by meeting their legal needs in the last decade, and we strive to keep growing and becoming better in providing legal assistance and advice, such as helping you make a Living Will. For all possible scenarios that you end up incapacitated, we can help you choose how your legacy lives on through your estate’s wishes.
What Medical Treatments Does an Advance Health Directive Help Address?
A Living Will helps your loved ones navigate a tricky medical situation, especially when you’re no longer capable of making the decisions on which treatments you’re willing to undergo. As a legal document that applies to your possible future healthcare solutions, an AHD covers the following types:
- Medical treatments
- Surgical treatments and operations
- Dental care treatments and dental surgery operations
- Other forms of alternative healthcare methods
What if I Don’t Have an AHD or Living Will?
If an unfortunate event happens and you end up incapacitated, not having an AHD means that the following people have to make a decision for you:
- Appointed Enduring Guardian, if any
- Appointed Guardian, if any
- The hierarchy of decision-makers, such as next of kin
It is important to note that this order is followed and recognised by medical practitioners. The AHD serves to effectively guide these people in making decisions that are within your wishes.
When Does an AHD or Living Will Take Effect?
Your Living Will immediately takes effect the moment you are incapacitated and require medical assistance. Should you be unable to communicate at the time a medical operation is necessary, the Advance Health Directive provides the answers. That being said, its importance is located in its capacity to serve as your voice when you can no longer speak your mind.
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Understanding the distinctions between an AHD and an EPG
While an Enduring Power of Guardianship empowers appointed individuals to make decisions in your stead, its powers are limited to the following:
- Personal
- Lifestyle
- Healthcare treatment options
That said, an Advance Health Directive determines decisions that concern future healthcare treatment options, such as mentioned earlier. This includes:
- Medical
- Surgical
- Dental
- Other forms of healthcare and alternative medicines and treatments
An AHD also provides you the capacity to include or refuse consent of possible future healthcare treatment options. In the event that you are incapacitated, and medical treatment is necessary, medical professionals are to be instructed to follow the AHD.
Allow Yourself To Express Your Preferences and Values with the Help of Living Will Lawyers
There are instances when certain medical treatments can step on an individual’s cultural or spiritual beliefs. A Living Will can indeed play a significant role when the time comes, as it enables you to refuse consent for any specific medical or healthcare treatment. Even if the attending medical practitioner may disagree with your preferences, these directives are to be upheld, as it is placed at the top of the hierarchy of treatment decision-makers.
So, in the occasion that your Enduring Guardian decides to opt for a specific medical treatment for you, it is important that your preferences, as dictated by your Living Will, are followed. However, in extreme and limited circumstances, a discussion must be arranged between the medical practitioners and your appointed guardian/s.
Trust that Hoe Lawyers, a law firm in Perth with years of experience in Estate Law, can provide you with excellent, transparent and affordable legal advice concerning the Advance Health Directive.
Hoe Lawyers assists individuals seeking a Living Will and provide the necessary legal advice so that they are aware of all the ins and outs of the legal document and how it relates to their estate.
Don’t hesitate to contact us today and find out how an Advance Health Directive can play an important role in your life. We’ll freely discuss your situation with you, so you get a clearer picture of what to expect.
Learn more about a Living Will and realise how critical it can be, especially in the future.