D.N.R or Power of Attorny for Healthcare

Dennis Brown

Registered User
Jun 11, 2008
16
0
91
Worcestershire
Hi, Dennis here asking advice. It has been suggested to me to either go for P.O.A. instead of having D.N.R. in place. I'm worried about D.N.R. as i'ts ,such a responsibility, Ivy my wife of 61 years has advanced Alzheimers and Vascular Dementia and is cared for at home by myself and Carers, she's lovely and totally dependant on me for feeding but not in pain.
Anyone else had this dilemma?. Advice or answered needed please. Dennis B
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Those two things are not the same at all and they are not mutually exclusive. It's actually good to have both though I understand the hesitation about a DNR. Do not resuscitate is one single decision next of kin make about someone's end of life care, and that person can have lost capacity. POA for health & welfare grants you a whole host of rights like deciding where somebody lives plus all medical decisions. Getting an LPA both for property & financial affairs and health & welfare should be something everybody does while the person still has capacity. It will avoid a lot of hassle later. You can also make an advance statement or an advanced directive. The latter is legally binding. Both documents can be made free of charge but the person who makes it has to have mental capacity.

Sorry, I hope this wasn't too confusing now.
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Dennis, I'm afraid if your wife has advanced Alzheimer's she may well not have capacity to make a health and welfare LPA. And I agree with Beate: the two things aren't really the same at all. If you don't want a DNR in place for your wife, you don't have to have one. However you need to be aware of what could happen in the event your wife had a heath crisis.
 

Dennis Brown

Registered User
Jun 11, 2008
16
0
91
Worcestershire
D.N.A.or not.

Dennis, I'm afraid if your wife has advanced Alzheimer's she may well not have capacity to make a health and welfare LPA. And I agree with Beate: the two things aren't really the same at all. If you don't want a DNR in place for your wife, you don't have to have one. However you need to be aware of what could happen in the event your wife had a heath crisis.

Thank you both for your support, I feel that I will go for P. O A. For health as I want to have a say in the final decision. Loved Ivy too long to let someone else decide!. I understand a bit more now thank you although, yes, it was confusing, but are'nt all legal matters!!. Thank you both so much for replying, I've been off the Forum too long but will keep in touch more now. Dennis B.xx
 

pamann

Registered User
Oct 28, 2013
2,635
0
Kent
Hello Dennis, my hubby is now in a care home, as he has jo mental capacity, l have to apply for Deputyship for his health and welfare. My solictor is dealing with it for me, it will take 6 to 9 months as it has to go through the courts. Hope this helps you, my hubby cannot speak for uimself so l will be able to do it for him, we have been together 55yrs, so l am sure he would want me to speak for him
 

count2ten

Registered User
Dec 13, 2013
186
0
Hello Dennis, my hubby is now in a care home, as he has jo mental capacity, l have to apply for Deputyship for his health and welfare. My solictor is dealing with it for me, it will take 6 to 9 months as it has to go through the courts. Hope this helps you, my hubby cannot speak for uimself so l will be able to do it for him, we have been together 55yrs, so l am sure he would want me to speak for him ����

Unfortunately, it seems that DNR notices are still often recorded without prior consultation with family members despite guidelines being in place to safeguard against this. And a power of attorney will not override this, only an advance decision/directive seems to hold any weight with health professionals.
 
Last edited:

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Hello Dennis, my hubby is now in a care home, as he has jo mental capacity, l have to apply for Deputyship for his health and welfare. My solictor is dealing with it for me, it will take 6 to 9 months as it has to go through the courts. Hope this helps you, my hubby cannot speak for uimself so l will be able to do it for him, we have been together 55yrs, so l am sure he would want me to speak for him

I just thought I would mention that I have a COP deputyship for finances (mum has lost capacity too), but the solicitor said that the courts very rarely appoint deputyship for health and welfare.
 

pamann

Registered User
Oct 28, 2013
2,635
0
Kent
Thank you canary, l hope l get it as it will cost me £1,200 my solicitor didn't tell me that l would have any problem, l do not need it for finances, only health and welfare.
 

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