A NEW HEALTH CARE PLANNING APP

Most of us feel quite relieved when we get our estate planning done, particularly when it comes to naming someone to make decisions for us when we cannot (health care proxy) or providing advance directives concerning our last illness or injury (often referred to as a living will).

The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging has developed a smartphone app that allows users to store and distribute their living will or health care proxy. The app is called “My Health Care Wishes.”

How Does It Work?

The app makes advance directives easily accessible when they are actually needed. The app enables individuals, and their family members to store their own, and each other’s documents and important medical histories on their smartphones.  There can be a struggle to find needed information when a parent has a medical emergency and children are often scattered around the country, as is often the case. Distributing the information to each child’s phone would allow quick access to the information and any person with the information could email the information to the medical provider who needs it in real time, saving valuable time in the event of a crisis.

What Else Do I Need To Know?

Advance directives, such as a Living Will or Health Care Power of Attorney, legally authorize another person to make health care decisions if an individual loses the ability to make his own decisions. It is important for everyone to create and sign these directives and to be certain that their appointed agents know where to find the documents when needed. More info about the app can be found at www.myhealthcarewishes.org.

Questions? Contact us for more information.