Health care decisions include emergency questions such as: will you take a treatment (ex: blood transfusions)?  Will you be resuscitated?  Will you refuse life-support?  It may also include decisions on palliative care – relief to lessen suffering during treatments, chronic illness or near end-of-life.  If no Representative exists, the responsibility follows a court order or it falls on the next available kin – such as your in-laws – as dictated by statute.  Who are you entrusting to make these decisions?

Personal care decisions affect your quality of life.  Every day you choose who to see, where to go, what to eat, what to wear, and whether to participate in religious practices.  Imagine that for the incapable person, someone else will choose.

Financial management decisions pay your bills, buy your food, pay off your mortgage, grow your investments and basically help you live.  Yet, if incapable, these responsibilities must fall on someone that the third-party banks, brokers, creditors recognize as having authority.

The Representation Agreement is very useful, but it must be prepared carefully with appropriate safeguards and protections for you; after all, your Representative could have the power of life and death over you!  You need to be able to terminate a Representative that you later having a falling out with.  With a prudently and comprehensively prepared Representation Agreement, you can have control even when you are no longer fit to.

We expect that we will be able to make our own decisions throughout our lives. But, our ability to make decisions will change, especially as we age. Unfortunately, one in five Canadians believes they know of a senior who might be experiencing some form of abuse. Financial abuse is the most commonly reported type of elder abuse. No one should be pressured, forced or tricked into giving money.

Personal planning is important to ensure that your wishes will be respected should a time come when you need assistance or must reply on someone else to make decisions for you. This also prevents the government or others you would not want from becoming involved in your personal and private affairs. Personal planning lets you stay in control.

In British Columbia, an enduring power of attorney (EPOA) allows you to give legal authority to someone you trust to manage your legal and financial affairs if you are no longer capable of making your own decisions. Financial affairs can include paying bills, doing your banking, even looking after your financial responsibilities to your dependents.

You can make an EPOA as specific or as broad as you want. You can also specify when it takes effect.

Careful planning with trained professionals will give you peace of mind.

Also, we have recently added 2 new lawyers.  Robert Leong is a lawyer, qualified in the UK and Singapore for 15 years, before requalifying in BC.  He will be handling Family, Immigration, and Estate litigation matters.

Leticia Siu from Alberta has also joined us, and will be handling Wills, Trusts, immigration end corporate matters.