The importance and peace of mind a Power of Attorney (POA) can bring to a person and their loved ones has been showcased in the national spotlight this week.
Annie Visser, has spoken publicly about the legal document which enabled her husband to “die with dignity”.
Bradley Visser, 38, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury when he crashed his electric skateboard at their Oxfordshire home in July.
He had appointed his wife, his Power of Attorney, and in the legal document showed that if such an event happened, he didn’t want to live with brain damage.
He also set out in the document that Mrs Visser shouldn’t keep him alive if certain “life perimeters” were not met.
Annie Visser said:
“If he couldn’t be a daddy, if he couldn’t go to a rugby match, if he couldn’t provide for his family by working, and if he couldn’t be physically active, he didn’t want to be here.”
The POA meant Mrs Visser could present the hospital with a legal document stipulating Mr Visser’s wishes, and she had the power to make life decisions for her husband and not the hospital.
This resulted in Mr Visser’s wishes being carried out, and his life support machine being switched off. He passed away two days later.
Following on from her experience, Mrs Visser is spreading the word of the importance of POAs. She said:
“It is a document with far more importance than a Will, yet no-one knows of it. That is what I am trying to change.
“I genuinely think if I didn’t have this piece of paper I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.
“The guild of having to make a decision with no background knowledge on what that person genuinely wants is actually worse than the end result.
“I have been able to be as strong as I have been for myself and for the children purely because every step of the way I feel like I have Brad stood next to me.”
Do you encourage your clients to make a Power of Attorney?
