Develop necessary documents

Financial power of attorney

You can complete a power of attorney form to give someone else legal authority over your finances. This authority can be limited or broad. You can note on the form if you are giving it now or in the future. An attorney, stationary store or private online company can supply this form. Be careful: A power of attorney can easily be abused if you do not choose the right person or clearly state your wishes.

Representative payee

You can have a representative payee appointed who can manage your federal benefits from Social Security, Railroad Retirement or the Veterans Administration now or in the future. A representative payee who is put in place now can serve in case you lose the ability to meet your own physical or mental health needs. You or someone close to you must apply directly to the federal agency paying the benefits to officially appoint a representative payee. Note that if you have a power of attorney, that person will not be able to manage these benefits unless the federal agency also approves him or her as the representative payee.

Trust

A trust gives someone else the rights to your property. This document is similar to a will, but it can be used while you are alive. A trust can sometimes be set up instead of a power of attorney. A trust can also help avoid a court appointing a conservator if you later are not able to manage your own finances. Trusts have many other purposes and come in many forms. Consult an attorney if possible when considering a trust.

Advance directive for health care decisions

You can use Oregon’s advance directive form to choose a health care representative or to plan health treatment. This document allows you to say ahead of time whether you want medical professionals to continue treatment or remove life support systems if you cannot state what you want. You can have a health care representative make your health care-related decisions if you cannot do so.

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)

Patients at the end of life or who have a terminal condition but understand their condition can discuss their wishes for end-of-life care with a physician. This can result in a standing medical order called a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). These orders direct other medical professionals to either provide or deny life-sustaining treatments based on patients’ wishes. Find more information on Oregon’s POLST here.