This article was published in The Indiana Lawyer on February 11, 2015. To view the original publication, click here. By Marilyn Odendahl, The Indiana LawyerEdna went into the makeshift office and asked for a will, a living will and a power of attorney.
Like anyone, she wanted the will to ensure her wishes were followed after her death, a living will so that she would not be kept alive by artificial interventions, and a power of attorney to give her caregiver the authority to make any critical decisions.
While her reasons for wanting the legal protections are common, her situation is not. Edna is homeless and disabled with few assets, little family and an uncertain future. In addition, she has no means to afford a lawyer to draft the papers.
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