Who is going to look after you, make decisions for you, and manage your personal and financial affairs if something were to happen to you that meant you weren’t able to make decisions for yourself?
An Enduring Power of Attorney document (EPA) appoints someone to do just this.
Without an EPA, whoever might have thought they would be in this position, may face great difficulty dealing with doctors and hospitals, banks, etc., and may even need to go to a Guardianship Tribunal to be appointed as your guardian – which just adds further stress at an already stressful time.
An EPA can also provide specific directions to an attorney, to reflect your wishes about your financial, personal and medical care needs – for example, not to sell your house, to allow gifts or benefits to your spouse or children, that you don’t wish to go into a care facility, or what types of treatment you do/don’t want to receive (which can also be documented through an Advance Care Plan or Health Direction).
