[Bernard]

In either of the 2 examples cited in the excerpt, did the person have a designated POA for Healthcare that assigned a Trustee (usually a relative) to make decisions for the person? My understanding is that the POA is intended to ward off the scenarios described.

If there was a POA and that person could not get the subject out of the mess, that's even scarier.

Of course, if the POA goes bad, I'm not sure what the cure would be for that.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yup,not being married at the moment...and having no kids..I named my sister as my heath care proxy,my POA and the executor (executrix?) of my estate. My lawyer told me that the documents I signed give her the most authority allowed in every scenario (coma,respirator,emergency surgery,mental incompetence,etc,etc) allowed under state law.