Continuing the theme of conversations with physicians about health care decision making, especially at the end of life: such advance care planning becomes all the more complex and challenging when there’s no clear person to step in to be a surrogate decision maker should something happen to you. Typically, patients appoint a trusted loved one or friend to be their health care “proxy” or “agent” in case of loss of decision-making capacity. However, for those of us who are “elder orphans,” there’s no available family member or loved one to appoint for this serious role. Writing for PBS’s Next Avenue, Carol Marak, an elder orphan advocate from Texas, outlines a series of characteristics and qualities you might want to consider when determining who should fill this vital role for you when there’s no obvious surrogate. So plan ahead, before a crisis occurs, and Read Here.