DNAR

father ted

Registered User
Aug 16, 2010
732
0
London
Just wanted to ask about the legalities of ‘Do not Resuscitate’ notices.

I have POA for my Mum diagnosed with dementia 10 years ago. I have POA for finances but not health and well-being.
My Mum has been in residential care for 18 months.
Recently I was asked to sign her care plan and there was a section on there about whether a DNAR was in place or not. I assumed that as I do not have POA for health and well-being it is not my decision to make. If my Mum fell sick I would want her to be treated but if she needed resuscitation I would not want her to be brutally pounded and possibly injured at the age of 94, she too said she wouldn’t want this but that was several years ago and there is nothing in writing.
The care staff said I can make this decision even without the POA for health but is that correct? It seems that could be open to all sorts and I feel uneasy about doing it unless I know the decision would legally lie with me.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
24,920
0
South coast
Yes you can make this decision without a H&W POA
I made this decision for mum and I didnt have a H&W POA, either.
 

Baker17

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
3,363
0
I’ve also done this without H&W POA. When my husband was recently in hospital the doctor was shown it by me and accepted it, as it happened it turned out to be a minor illness but the DNAR wasn’t questioned
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,660
0
Midlands
Yes you can make this decision. I did make that choice for my PWD.

I think people get worried about making the decision, confusing it with refusing treatment, or stopping their loved one recieving treatment for a particular illness or episode.

How many of us would truly want our PWD revived if their heart stopped. ?
 

SewHappy

Registered User
Feb 3, 2019
29
0
My mum moved into new care home and they noticed there was no DNAR. Mum, her senior care worker and I went to mum's doctor and talked it through. Mum drifted in and out of understanding. DNAR agreed so she'll have treatment for illnesses including hospital but no resuscitation. Doctor signed DNAR. I have health LPA but it was not asked for.
 

Ohso

Registered User
Jan 4, 2018
167
0
Maybe you are overthinking this, the DNAR would only come to the fore if the situation warranted it if the Dr felt it wasnt appropriate they would treat as needed and only instigate at the tipping point of deciding if potential good results outweigh potential lack of quality of life. Try not to worry its been my experience that you will only be consulted if dr thinks DNAR is appropriate but they need to make sure you or other members of family will opose it, be guided by them x
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
Yes, you can make that decision without H&W LPA.
I was asked to okay a DNAR for my mother last year, I only have financial LPA. Her GP then signed it off. It was fully explained to me by the manager of her care home.
 

Elle3

Registered User
Jun 30, 2016
705
0
I didn't have H&W LPA either for my dad, but the care home nurse spoke to me about a DNAR and then arranged for me to meet with my dad's GP who explained it some more. I agreed to treatment if taken into hospital but not resuscitation. However, when my dad suffered a heart attack in the care home earlier this year, even though staff where aware of the DNAR they still tried to resuscitate him until the ambulance arrived and the ambulance crew asked if there was a DNAR and it had to be shown to them before resuscitation was stopped.

The nurse apologised to me for trying to save my dad, but said it is just a human instinct to try to save someone, plus it also protects them if there is any thought of foul play.
 

Lawson58

Registered User
Aug 1, 2014
4,302
0
Victoria, Australia
I think attitudes about this have changed a lot in the last few years. At the age of your mum, I think current thinking is that nature should take its course.

My husband had a cardiac arrest at the age of 74 at home and I gave him CPR. He has a good 6 years of life since then and yes, I broke his ribs in the process but CPR is only brutal when bones are really fragile. If I was faced with the same situation now, I would not revive him and I doubt that that our local hospital would do that either if quality of life was an issue.

Please don't feel bad about this. Sometimes, it is better to go easily than struggle with little chance of a good outcome in the future.
 

eddiesgirl

Registered User
Oct 22, 2012
62
0
Midlands
Just wanted to ask about the legalities of ‘Do not Resuscitate’ notices.

I have POA for my Mum diagnosed with dementia 10 years ago. I have POA for finances but not health and well-being.
My Mum has been in residential care for 18 months.
Recently I was asked to sign her care plan and there was a section on there about whether a DNAR was in place or not. I assumed that as I do not have POA for health and well-being it is not my decision to make. If my Mum fell sick I would want her to be treated but if she needed resuscitation I would not want her to be brutally pounded and possibly injured at the age of 94, she too said she wouldn’t want this but that was several years ago and there is nothing in writing.
The care staff said I can make this decision even without the POA for health but is that correct? It seems that could be open to all sorts and I feel uneasy about doing it unless I know the decision would legally lie with me.
Yes, the care staff are correct. I did this for Mum before I had Health & Welfare POA. In fact it was Mum's GP who suggested I did it.
 

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