Power of Attorney for Health Care and Advance Directives — Consultation and Certification

Power of Attorney for Health Care

With a power of attorney for healthcare, you can appoint a representative in advance who can manage your affairs and make decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able—or only partially able—to do so yourself as a result of a sudden accident, illness, or a gradual decline in your mental capacity. You can specify in detail the areas to which this power of attorney should apply.

This eliminates the need for a court to appoint your trusted person as a guardian (exception: if a specific area that becomes necessary is not covered by the power of attorney).

You should only grant a power of attorney if you have complete trust in the person.

Twice a year, the association “Grenzenlos e. V.” hosts informational sessions with practical guidance on granting a power of attorney for healthcare.

Public Certification of the Power of Attorney

Your power of attorney can be publicly certified by the guardianship authority. This allows your attorney-in-fact to make declarations to the land registry or the commercial register, or to renounce an inheritance. This also increases the validity of your publicly certified power of attorney when dealing with banks and savings banks. A power of attorney for health care that has been publicly certified by the guardianship authority meets the requirements of Section 29 of the Land Registry Act. 

Outside of our regular business hours, you can schedule a certification appointment by phone.

Guardianship Directive

With a guardianship directive, you can designate who is to become your court-appointed guardian in the event that you are unable to manage certain matters yourself. In practice, a guardianship directive is appropriate if you do not wish to grant a power of attorney. A guardianship directive does not confer the authority to act on your behalf. In most cases, a guardianship directive is included in a power of attorney for health care, so you do not need to fill out a separate form.

You should draw up a guardianship directive if you wish to be cared for by a specific person who is to be appointed and supervised by the guardianship court. Here, you can also specify who you absolutely do not want to serve as your court-appointed guardian.

Advance Medical Directive

The guardianship authority can also provide you with information about a living will. You can obtain practical guidance on drafting a living will from the Jena Hospice.

Registration Option in the Central Register of Advance Directives

You can also have your power of attorney for healthcare, guardianship directive, and/or advance healthcare directive registered in the “Central Register of Advance Directives of the Federal Chamber of Notaries” for a fee.

• Identification card
• Completed power of attorney (-> see Downloads)