Power of attorney – An important step for your self-determination
No one likes to think about what happens if, due to illness or an accident, they are suddenly no longer able to make their own decisions. Yet, this very situation can unexpectedly strike anyone – regardless of age.
With a power of attorney, you designate a trusted person to act on your behalf and make important decisions if you are temporarily or permanently unable to do so yourself. Without such a power of attorney, even spouses or adult children cannot automatically make decisions for you. In many cases, a court must then appoint a legal guardian.
Why is a power of attorney particularly important for chronically ill people?
People with chronic conditions like alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency know that their health can sometimes change unexpectedly. An acute flare-up, a severe infection, hospitalization, or intensive care treatment can temporarily prevent them from making important decisions independently.
A power of attorney for healthcare provides security in such situations. It allows a trusted person to discuss medical decisions with the treating physicians, to manage organizational and financial matters, to handle official or insurance matters, and to represent your personal wishes.
The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection has a Brochure in Easy Language created.
This explains it in short texts and many pictures:
- what a power of attorney is,
- why it is important,
- what content it should have and
- what you should pay attention to when filling it out.
You can find the link to the brochure here:
The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection has provided a sample text on the following page:
https://www.bmjv.de/DE/service/formulare/form_vorsorgevollmacht/form_vorsorgevollmacht_node.html
