Health Care Power of Attorney

A power of attorney (POA) for health care is a form that lets you choose a person to make health care decisions for you. The person you choose will then be able to make health care decisions for you when you can't make decisions for yourself. You can also use the power of attorney for health care to tell the person what decisions you want made for you.

The person you give the power of attorney to is the agent and you are the principal. The agent is usually a spouse, a close friend, or a trusted relative.

You must create the power of attorney while you are still able to make decisions for yourself. You can't create a power of attorney after an injury or illness prevents you from making your own decisions. This means that you must be mentally competent to create a power of attorney.

The form can be found at the link below. If you would like a helpful walkthrough to ensure you are filling out the legal form correctly, you might consider starting at the link found here (Illinois Legal Aid).