The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee has produced a Power of Attorney Kit that will help you appoint the person you want to make decisions for you when you are no longer able to do so for yourself.

Many people believe that if something happens and they are unable to make decisions for themselves, their family can do so for them. This is not necessarily true. For financial decisions, legal authority is needed. You can give this authority by naming someone in a continuing power of attorney for property.

For personal care decisions such as where you live or what you eat, you can give legal authority by naming someone in a power of attorney for personal care.

While it's very important to consider whether to make a power of attorney, you don't have to, and no one can make you sign one if you don't want to. But remember, if you don't make a power of attorney, someone may have to be formally appointed some day to make decisions for you, if the decisions involve matters other than medical treatment.

Copies of the Power of Attorney Kit can be obtained from:

* The Ministry of the Attorney General
* any Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee
* by calling 1-800-366-0335, (416) 314-2800 in Toronto
* your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP)

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