Finance
Why Your Future
Health and Wellness
ESSENTIAL Naples
Matter Now
FALL 2021
36
By Nina Azwoir, First Vice President of Investments, Wintrust Wealth Management
“If I am unable to advocate for my own healthcare wishes due to an illness or injury, how can I be sure I get the care I want?” —Nina Azwoir
W
hat if I told you I can see you in the future: needing healthcare but being unable to make the decisions necessary to attain it? I have many friends who, for the life of them, refuse to talk about a dreaded day in the future when they may become incapacitated—let alone think about giving up their decision-making to someone else. Imagine I just got off of a delayed flight and hustled my way through a foreign airport to get into a rental car. It has been a hectic and rainy morning. An impending meeting with a client and potential buyers of her business in an hour keeps me preoccupied, and I don’t realize I’m in danger until I’m already hit. Later, I find out that someone hydroplaned on the wet road and ran into me, rendering me unconscious. In an instant, this great advocate cannot advocate for anyone—let alone herself. I am hospitalized and much to my chagrin, they track down my ex-husband, because I never got around to updating my healthcare proxy.
Luckily, I survive this catastrophe, but what if my injuries had been serious enough to warrant my placement in a long-term care facility for rehabilitation? My ex-husband certainly would not have had my best interests at heart when making this decision. In this hypothetical I was safe, but a mentor of mine always said, “leave nothing to chance.” If I am unable to advocate for my own healthcare wishes due to an illness or injury, how can I be sure I get the care I want?
Preparing for the Possibilities
A healthcare power of attorney, living will, and visitation directive can make life smoother for you and your loved ones. A healthcare power of attorney or healthcare proxy allows you to choose someone you trust to make healthcare decisions for you if you are not able to. This document is especially important if the person you choose as your agent is not your legal spouse.
