Medical advances have prolonged our lives. A severe injury or illness, which might have ended a person's life years ago, can now render him or her incapacitated. Whether during advance planning or in the midst of a crisis, you need to guide your clients through the complicated legal and emotional issues that arise when an incapacitated person needs medical treatment.
- Draft effective and portable patient advocate designations
- Work with hospitals and families to enforce patient advocate designations
- Pursue a guardianship when appropriate
- Counsel clients on end-of-life issues, including do-not-resuscitate orders
- Work with hospitals and families to resolve futility-of-treatment disputes