A Power of Attorney for Personal Care is a legal document that allows an individual (the “grantor”) to appoint another person the “attorney-in-fact” or “agent” or “attorney” to make personal care decisions on their behalf if they become unable to make these decisions for themselves due to illness, injury, or incapacity.
Personal care decisions can include medical treatment, where to live, what kind of care to receive, and other decisions related to the grantor’s personal well-being. The agent named in the power of attorney document will have the authority to make these decisions in accordance with the grantor’s wishes as expressed in the document, or in the absence of specific instructions, based on their understanding of what the grantor would want.
Like a power of attorney for assets, a power of attorney for personal care can be limited or general. A limited power of attorney for personal care may specify certain decisions that the agent can make, while a general power of attorney for personal care gives the agent broad authority to make decisions on behalf of the grantor.
It is important to choose an agent who is trustworthy and competent to make these important personal care decisions.
Brian Madigan LL.B., Broker