I didn’t know that. The hospital I was in did not allow anyone but family members. And don’t get me wrong here. I think this is disgusting. Not so much the visitation, but allowing someone outside the family to make life and death decisions for someone is just wrong on so many levels.
“but allowing someone outside the family to make life and death decisions for someone is just wrong on so many levels.”
I’m glad you come from a very strong family with apparently strong ties. Not everyone (homosexual, asexual or heterosexual) has strong family bonds or families that have the person’s best interest in mind. The great thing about our healthcare system is that a patient can name anyone as their significant other/decision maker etc. and the hospitals honor the patient’s wishes. However, it because a sticky wicket when the patient is unable to name a person upon admission and does not have any paperwork on file with his physician or with the hospital designating such said person.
As a previous poster noted, I’ve seen patients whose friends, partners etc who truly cared about the person and were not blood relatives. Let us all be lucky enough to have someone who cares enough for us to do us right when we need it