Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 9710
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 9710
- Agent: means an adult with capacity to whom authority to make health care decisions is delegated under an advance directive, including an alternate agent if the agent is not reasonably available. See
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Guardian: means a person appointed by the Probate Division of the Superior Court who has the authority to make medical decisions pursuant to 14 V. See
- Palliative care: means interdisciplinary care given to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with a serious medical condition. See
- Person: means any individual, company, corporation, association, partnership, the U. See
§ 9710. Consent for hospice care
(a) A family member of a patient or a person with a known close relationship to the patient may elect hospice care on behalf of the patient if the patient does not have an agent or guardian or the patient’s agent or guardian, or both, if applicable, are unavailable. Decisions made by the family member or person with a known close relationship shall protect the patient’s own wishes in the same manner as decisions made by an agent as described in subsection 9711(d) of this title.
(b) As used in this section, “hospice care” means a program of care and support provided by a Medicare-certified hospice provider to help an individual with a terminal condition to live comfortably by providing palliative care, including effective pain and symptom management. Hospice care may include services provided by an interdisciplinary team that are intended to address the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of the individual and his or her family. (Added 2013, No. 127 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 10, 2014.)