The Law of Later-life Health Care and Decision Making

Book excerpt: Directives - which include living wills and health care powers of attorney (or proxies) are unique in a heretofore unknown way. They draw heavily on the knowledge and skills of practitioners from all three of the noble professions: law, medicine, and spirit. That's precisely why Advance Health Care Directives: A Handbook for Professionals is such an exceedingly important work. Authored by a lawyer and a physician, this far ranging volume deals with the difficult and sensitive issues faced by professionals - lawyers, doctors, nurses, clerics, spiritual advisors, chaplains, social workers, palliative caregivers, and all allied walks - in helping clients and patients plan, write, execute, and implement these utterly essential "personal contingency plans" for health care decision-making. Book jacket.