DNR query

jugglingmum

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Jan 5, 2014
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Chester
Wasn't sure where to post.

OH got phonecall from SIL last night, saying she has arranged for MIL(no dementia but I think on its way due to odd behaviour) to draw up a DNR and naming OH as the person to be contacted.

SIL is US based and MIL is in Scotland. I've not heard of this on TP, so is SIL doing a US type of thing, as I thought it was GP/Hospital etc that would have a DNR?

I commented to OH she would be better off spending her time sorting out POA, ho hum. I'm convinced various behaviours indicate issues but OH and SIL have heads in sand, SIL as she thinks I'm scaremongering and OH as he has a fairly distant relationship with his mum and doesn't want to get involved.

OH now offended that MIL didn't tell him before drawing document up.
 

nitram

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Apr 6, 2011
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Bury
A standard UK DNAR does not specify a person to be contacted, it is a simple statement giving guidance to the clinician in charge.
https://www.resus.org.uk/EasySiteWeb/GatewayLink.aspx?alId=3867

Things may be different in the USA, clinicians in the UK may be confused by a non standard document, they generally regard a DNAR as insurance that they will not be sued if they do not attempt resuscitation.
 

Rheme

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Nov 23, 2013
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England
You are right about the POA and she should draw not only the property and finance but the health and welfare also (this means that all agencies have to liaise with you including about DNAR's).

You can do them through lawyers but the forms are available for download and are quite easy to fill in saving quite a bit of money.

Your MIL must have capability and capacity to do the POA's.
 

jugglingmum

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Jan 5, 2014
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Chester
You are right about the POA and she should draw not only the property and finance but the health and welfare also (this means that all agencies have to liaise with you including about DNAR's).

You can do them through lawyers but the forms are available for download and are quite easy to fill in saving quite a bit of money.

Your MIL must have capability and capacity to do the POA's.

Hi Rheme - thanks for that. I have POA for my mum, who is in England, which I did via the downloaded forms. Unfortunately the rules are different in Scotland and there is no standard form, although some standard wording. Katrine advised me on this on a thread I started earlier. I understand that everything is combined into one POA and it has to be drawn up by a solicitor.

I have provided SIL with info from that thread re POA - hence my ho hum, SIL was in UK in January and said it could wait until she was back over in July.:eek::eek:

OH is not inclined to do it either, and I can only sit on the side and provide help when they are inclined.

MIL has had one diagnosed TIA, and she has also had numerous odd faints pre the TIA and some of her behaviour is decidedly odd of the sort that could be dementia.

I have had a thought whilst typing that maybe MIL has gone to a solicitor she has used previously, the work they have done previously was incompetent in my professional opinion (I'm an accountant) and MIL may have got muddled with what SIL told her to do.
 
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MsFliverty

Registered User
Hi Rheme - thanks for that. I have POA for my mum, who is in England, which I did via the downloaded forms. Unfortunately the rules are different in Scotland and there is no standard form, although some standard wording. Katrine advised me on this on a thread I started earlier. I understand that everything is combined into one POA and it has to be drawn up by a solicitor.

Hi there JM,

Just to let you know that I obtained POA (both financial and health) for my mother who lives in Scotland in 2013. I downloaded the forms from the web, filled them in myself, got her GP to sign plus one other witness and then registered with the OPG. In fact I have now had to activate them as my mum fell in the summer, was deemed unfit to go home and lacked mental capacity so we had to go through the whole social services/ care home process. I must say all her banks, postoffice and utilities have accepted the POA certificate with no problem. I didn't have a solicitor involved at all and it was very straightforward. Of course the process may now have changed......
 

jugglingmum

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Jan 5, 2014
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Chester
Thanks for that, and that is what I did for my mum, however the OPG Scotland website states that there are no standard documents.

http://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

there are schedules which are very similar to the English one which need attaching. Given her assets I wouldn't want to get it wrong.

One person who replied to me comment said she did a Scottish and English one for her mum as she had assets in both places. She was advised by Scottish OPG that whilst they understand that both are valid in both places based on residence this hasn't been tested in court yet.

I have given SIL the info, OH won't be doing anything about it himself so it is up to SIL to sort out.
 

jugglingmum

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Jan 5, 2014
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Chester
A standard UK DNAR does not specify a person to be contacted, it is a simple statement giving guidance to the clinician in charge.
https://www.resus.org.uk/EasySiteWeb/GatewayLink.aspx?alId=3867

Things may be different in the USA, clinicians in the UK may be confused by a non standard document, they generally regard a DNAR as insurance that they will not be sued if they do not attempt resuscitation.

Thanks Nitram. I have googled now and found 'living will' documents which have someone to be notified in, which maybe what SIL has done. Still sounds very american to me.
 

jugglingmum

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Jan 5, 2014
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Chester
SIL currently lives in Colorado, although she used to live in California, her children and ex husband still live in California.
 

nitram

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Apr 6, 2011
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Bury
My brain is now engaged!!

It doesn't matter where SIL lives.

As MIL is in Scotland >>>this<<< applies.

It's 43 pages long, I'll leave you to read it thoroughly but on first glance Appendix I does not seem to involve a 'person to be contacted'.