What Is a Proxy Respondent?

Designation

• The person designated to be the disabled person's proxy respondent is usually the disabled person's 'next of kin.' If the disabled person has a spouse, the spouse is the proxy. If the disabled person has no spouse but has living parents, the parents are the proxy. If the disabled person has no spouse or parents but has living siblings, one of the siblings will be the proxy. The 'next of kin' policy is only overridden if the disabled person has specified in a will or testament that someone other than next of kin should act as her proxy respondent.
  
  

Responsibilities

• There are a variety of situations during which a proxy respondent is needed. Proxy respondents often make decisions about what to do with a deceased person's estate, whether to continue supporting a comatose person on life support, or whether to release certain legal or medical information about an unconscious person to requesting authorities like the police.
  
  

Accuracy

• Research shows that proxy respondents are not always accurate informants. A 1994 study published in the academic journal "Epidemiology" reports that proxies are often very well informed about whether the person they represent smokes and the represented's demographics. However, proxies are less well informed about the represented person's drinking and exercise habits.