The Terri Schiavo case has people thinking about how to spare their families the arguments should they become incapacitated. The nation�s largest lawyers group says advance health care planning is the key. American Bar Association President Robert Gray says you need both a living will to spell out your wishes, and a health care power of attorney to name the person you trust to be your legally authorized decision-maker:
�Think about your own wishes and preferences before you have life threatening illness. Make sure that you get the right documents. Be sure to fill them out. Identify somebody whom you trust, that can make decisions in the event you�re unable to. And be sure to spend time with the person, making sure they write the final chapter of your life the way you want it written.�
Advance planning requires both talking and writing about your wishes, Gray says. Do it not just for yourself, but also for your family, so that they won�t have to guess your wishes when difficult critical care decisions need to be made. For more information go to the A-B-A web site: a-b-a-law-info-dot-org.
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