Notice to the Individual Signing the Illinois
Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney for Health Care.
Please Read This Notice Carefully.
The form that you will be signing is a legal document. It is governed by the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. If
there is anything about this form that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer to explain it to you.
The purpose of this power of attorney is to give your designated “agent” broad powers to make health care
decisions for you, including the power to require, consent to, or withdraw treatment for any physical or mental
condition, and to admit you or discharge you from any hospital, home, or other institution. You may name suc-
cessor agents under this form, but you may not name co-agents.
This form does not impose a duty upon your agent to make such health care decisions, so it is important that
you select an agent who will agree to do this for you and who will make those decisions as you would wish. It
is also important to select an agent whom you trust, since you are giving that agent control over your medical
decision-making, including end-of-life decisions. Any agent who does act for you has a duty to act in good faith
for your benefit and to use due care, competence, and diligence. He or she also must act in accordance with the
law and with the statements in this form. Your agent must keep a record of all significant actions taken as your
agent.
Unless you specifically limit the period of time that this power of attorney will be in effect, your agent may
exercise the powers given to him or her throughout your lifetime, even after you become disabled. A court,
however, can take away the powers of your agent if it finds that the agent is not acting properly. You also may
revoke this power of attorney if you wish.
The powers you give your agent, your right to revoke those powers, and the penalties for violating the law are
explained more fully in Sections 4-5, 4-6, and 4-10(c) of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. This form is a part
of that law. The “NOTE” paragraphs throughout this form are instructions.
You are not required to sign this power of attorney, but it will not take effect without your signature. You should
not sign it if you do not understand everything in it, and what your agent will be able to do if you do sign it.
Please put your initials on the following line indicating that you have read this notice.
_______________
(principal’s initials)
9/2011