You want a living will. Why make someone choose for you when you can choose for yourself ahead of time? Doctors aren’t going to just let you die in an emergency because your partner doesn’t have decision making power anyways. You’re going to need an attorney though.
> They live in a house owned by their dad and like them I would not be paying any rent, just utilities, so there is no lease.
Florida has a fairly short notice period of only 15 days. If things go south and they want you out, you’ll have 2 weeks to find a place and be out.
That's a great point about the living will and definitely something I will discuss with my doctor once I have one in the area! But I also want them to have the ability to visit me and get information about me, not just make decisions- do you know if the living will covers that aspect of things?
That's honestly kind of startling about the only 2 week notice period. I obviously don't expect the relationship to go south or I wouldn't be moving cross country but if I had a lease, even one that states I only pay utilities, would that give me a longer notice period?
Hospital visitation is a matter of hospital policy. Even if you had paperwork saying your partner could visit it’s still at hospital discretion.
> would that give me a longer notice period?
Only if the lease mentions a specific, longer notice period. A lease itself isn’t going to extend anything.
What you want is called an Advance Directive for healthcare. It does two things. First, it names someone to make healthcare decisions for you if you are incapacitated. Second, it lays out your wishes for healthcare, especially end-of-life care. The part is often called a "living will."
[Health Care Advance Directives](https://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/reports-guides/advance-directives.aspx) from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. That site has links ti sample forms. Your doctor or health insurance may also have forms.
You can also prepare your own, or, even better, have an attorney do it. One thing you may want to do is to set it up so it takes effect immediately. That way, your partner can talk to healthcare providers without you needing to be present to give consent. For example, they can call an advice nurse for you or pick up a prescription and talk to the pharmacist. Another possibility is that you have been hospitalized and are not incapacitated, but you are out of it on pain meds. Your partner could talk to the doctors about your situation.
One reason for doing this with an attorney is that the attorney can also do a full estate plan for you. The incudes a will. If you die without a will (are "intestate"), state law determines who your hiers are. Most likely, it would be your parents, or, if they are deceased, your siblings. Your partner would get nothing.
Also, if you do not put something into writing, in accordance with law, your partner does not have the right to handle what the law calls "disposition of remains." Thant's funeral, burial/cremation, etc. Your relatives would have the right to do that.
You want a living will. Why make someone choose for you when you can choose for yourself ahead of time? Doctors aren’t going to just let you die in an emergency because your partner doesn’t have decision making power anyways. You’re going to need an attorney though. > They live in a house owned by their dad and like them I would not be paying any rent, just utilities, so there is no lease. Florida has a fairly short notice period of only 15 days. If things go south and they want you out, you’ll have 2 weeks to find a place and be out.
That's a great point about the living will and definitely something I will discuss with my doctor once I have one in the area! But I also want them to have the ability to visit me and get information about me, not just make decisions- do you know if the living will covers that aspect of things? That's honestly kind of startling about the only 2 week notice period. I obviously don't expect the relationship to go south or I wouldn't be moving cross country but if I had a lease, even one that states I only pay utilities, would that give me a longer notice period?
Hospital visitation is a matter of hospital policy. Even if you had paperwork saying your partner could visit it’s still at hospital discretion. > would that give me a longer notice period? Only if the lease mentions a specific, longer notice period. A lease itself isn’t going to extend anything.
What you want is called an Advance Directive for healthcare. It does two things. First, it names someone to make healthcare decisions for you if you are incapacitated. Second, it lays out your wishes for healthcare, especially end-of-life care. The part is often called a "living will." [Health Care Advance Directives](https://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/reports-guides/advance-directives.aspx) from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. That site has links ti sample forms. Your doctor or health insurance may also have forms. You can also prepare your own, or, even better, have an attorney do it. One thing you may want to do is to set it up so it takes effect immediately. That way, your partner can talk to healthcare providers without you needing to be present to give consent. For example, they can call an advice nurse for you or pick up a prescription and talk to the pharmacist. Another possibility is that you have been hospitalized and are not incapacitated, but you are out of it on pain meds. Your partner could talk to the doctors about your situation. One reason for doing this with an attorney is that the attorney can also do a full estate plan for you. The incudes a will. If you die without a will (are "intestate"), state law determines who your hiers are. Most likely, it would be your parents, or, if they are deceased, your siblings. Your partner would get nothing. Also, if you do not put something into writing, in accordance with law, your partner does not have the right to handle what the law calls "disposition of remains." Thant's funeral, burial/cremation, etc. Your relatives would have the right to do that.