At Home Care Legal Considerations in Tulsa, OK

Your local at-home care agency presents information on important legal documents to consider

As most at home care professionals may tell you, it is best to address legal issues before a health crisis arises. Putting legal affairs in order on time can provide additional security for you and your loved one. Considering this, you should initiate the conversation about this topic with your senior mom or dad as soon as possible and make sure they understand just how important it is to make decisions about their care while they are still healthy.

As a respected at-home care agency, Comfort Keepers takes pride in providing you with beneficial information for seniors and families. Here are some legal considerations you and your loved one should be aware of:

• Advance Health Care Directive: This is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken concerning their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves due to illness or incapacity. One form of an advance directive is a living will, which contains instructions for medical treatment. Another form is a durable power of attorney. With this document, your loved one can authorize someone they trust to make decisions on their behalf. Having both a living will and health care proxy can provide comprehensive guidance regarding your loved one’s care.
• Living Trust: Similar to a living will, a living trust allows your loved one to put their wishes into writing. With this document, your loved one’s assets are put into a trust, but they can remain in control of those assets during their lifetime.
• Durable Power of Attorney for Finances: This legal document enables you to manage your loved one’s finances in case they cannot do it on their own.  
• HIPAA Authorization: You probably know that health information and records are private. Unless your parent authorizes someone to receive that information, it is illegal for doctors to share any details about your loved one’s health. Having this document will grant you access to your loved one’s medical records.

These are all very useful documents and it is important to know where to find them. Together with your loved one, you can organize these legal documents, as well as medical, financial, and other personal information, gathering them all in one safe place.

For more information about legal documents for seniors, please contact Comfort Keepers at-home care providers at (918) 493-2100 in Tulsa, OK. We look forward to helping your family in any way that we can!