A durable power of attorney for health care allows you to choose someone (usually referred to as a health-care or medical "agent," "representative" or "proxy") who will make health-care decisions for you if you are unable to communicate your wishes.

You may designate your spouse, another family member, a close personal friend or other trusted person of legal age-preferably someone who lives in close proximity. Talk to the person you choose to be sure he or she is capable of carrying out your health-care wishes and provide him or her with a copy of your living will. It's wise to select at least one other person as an alternate in case your primary health-care agent is unable to function when needed. In some states, your durable power of attorney for health care must be witnessed and notarized in order to be legally binding. If your state does not have an approved format to follow, you'll want to work with an attorney as you prepare this document.

Designated health-care agents have no power to act on your behalf until you can no longer communicate your own wishes (usually determined by two medical doctors). Their power ends at your death. Durable power of attorney for health care is used only for medical-not financial-decisions.