ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY · AKRON, OH
Health Care Power of Attorney in Akron, OH
Spatz Law Group helps families in Akron and across Northeast Ohio name the person who speaks with their doctors when they can't, so decisions get made quickly, calmly and the way you'd want.
Choosing the right person to speak for you
A health care power of attorney, sometimes called a medical power of attorney, names the person who talks with your doctors and makes medical decisions whenever you can't, not only at the end of life. It covers a surgery that goes wrong, a stroke or a long recovery. Debra helps you think through who should hold that role. The best choice isn't always the closest relative. It's the person who will follow your wishes under pressure, and you'll name a backup in case they can't.
Medical decisions aren't only end-of-life decisions
People often think of these documents only for the final days. In reality, a health care power of attorney is used far more often: after a car accident, during a surgery with complications, after a stroke, or as memory begins to fade. It works whenever your doctor determines you can't make your own decisions, so the person you trust can act right away instead of waiting on paperwork or a court.
Keeping your family from arguing at the bedside
When nobody is clearly in charge, well-meaning relatives can disagree about your care at the worst possible moment. One child wants every treatment tried. Another remembers you saying you'd never want to live on machines. Doctors are left waiting while the family argues in the hallway. Naming one person, with backups in order, settles who decides before anyone has to ask. It also gives that person confidence, because they know you chose them and they know what you want. And it lets everyone else simply be there for you.
Planning ahead for memory loss
With dementia, there is a window when you can still choose who will speak for you, and it closes quietly. You must be able to understand and sign the document. Once that ability is gone, your family may need a court to appoint a guardian instead. Signing early keeps the choice in your hands.
Your attorney
Debra A. Spatz
Licensed in Ohio since 2008 · Ohio Supreme Court Reg. #0083356
Chicago-Kent College of Law · University of Illinois, Finance
Meet DebraBefore your first conversation
Have the names and contact details of the person you want as your agent and a backup. Bring any existing health care documents, including ones from another state.
★★★★★Google review
If you are looking for a local estate attorney in Bath, Ohio, Deb Spatz with Spatz Law Group is truly exceptional. I know several people who have worked with Deb, and they consistently share nothing but positive experiences. Deb takes the time to get to know you and your story, allowing her to create a plan that brings real peace of mind for you and your family. She even offers the option to record a legacy video for your loved ones, which is an incredibly meaningful and lasting gift. Do not wait until it is too late. I highly recommend calling Deb today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can I name as my health care agent in Ohio?
Any competent adult you trust, such as a spouse, partner, adult child or close friend. Ohio generally doesn't allow your attending physician, or the administrator of a nursing home where you're receiving care, to serve unless they're a relative. Name a backup in case your first choice isn't available.
When does a health care power of attorney take effect?
It takes effect when your doctor determines you can't make your own medical decisions. Until then, you make your own choices. If you recover, the decision-making returns to you.
Can my agent override my living will?
No. If you're terminally ill or permanently unconscious and have a living will, its instructions about life-sustaining treatment control. Your agent's job is to carry out your wishes, not replace them. For every other situation, your agent decides based on what they know you'd want.
Can my agent decide about feeding tubes?
Only in limited situations, and only if you've said so. In Ohio, your agent can refuse artificial nutrition and hydration only if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious. If you're permanently unconscious, your document must specifically authorize it in a clearly marked statement with your initials beside it. A general grant of "all health care decisions" isn't enough. Comfort care always continues.
Will my agent be able to see my medical records?
Your agent can generally get the medical information needed to make decisions once they're acting for you. Many people also sign a separate authorization so family can get updates from doctors sooner. Debra can explain whether that makes sense for you.
Who should get copies of my healthcare directives?
Give copies to the person you named as your agent, your backup, your doctor, and the hospital you'd most likely go to, such as Summa Health or Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and ask that they go in your medical records. Keep the originals somewhere your family can find quickly. A document nobody can locate in an emergency can't help you.