Many people are rightly concerned about being able to control the medical care they will receive if they lose capacity later in life, and how they will be cared for generally.
It is possible to pre-empt any problems by making an advance directive or statement setting out your specific wishes in these areas. If validly made, such documents are proven to be effective in making sure that your wishes are implemented at the relevant time, as if you had been able to express those wishes for yourself. A recent case, RGB v Cwm Taf Health Board and Ors [2013] EWHC B23 (COP), highlights this in relation to advance statements in particular.
In this article first published in the Solicitors Journal (http://www.solicitorsjournal.com), Ann Stanyer, partner and Head of Private Client at Wedlake Bell, discusses the case and the importance of advance statements and directives as part of your estate planning for later years.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.