Understanding the Five Wishes: A Comprehensive Guide to End-of-Life Planning

Hello, Wine and Dime listeners! Thank you once again for joining the show. Today, we are diving into a topic that is often overlooked but incredibly important in estate planning: The Five Wishes. This document, created by the organization Five Wishes, is the first living will that addresses not only your medical wishes but also your personal, emotional, and spiritual needs. It allows you to choose the person who will make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself.Key Takeaways:The Five Wishes is a comprehensive living will that addresses personal, emotional, and spiritual needs, in addition to medical wishes.The document allows individuals to choose a healthcare decision-maker and specify their medical treatment preferences.It covers how individuals want to be treated, what they want loved ones to know about them, and their funeral wishes.Distribute copies of the Five Wishes to relevant parties and keep the original in a safe place at home.Aging with dignity involves ensuring that family members are aware of an individual's final wishes.<br/>Before we delve into the details of The Five Wishes, let's take a moment to talk about something a little lighter. In our previous episodes, we featured a winery called Billsboro on Seneca Lake. If you ever find yourself in the Finger Lakes area of New York, I highly recommend visiting Billsboro. Their wines are delightful, and the setting in their beautiful old barn is truly picturesque. One wine that stood out to me was their 2022 Sarah, which will be released soon. It's a light and rich-flavored wine that I believe many wine enthusiasts will enjoy.Now, let's get back to the topic at hand: The Five Wishes. This document is a comprehensive living will that covers various aspects of your healthcare and end-of-life wishes. It was created with the help of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging and is available in 29 languages.The Five Wishes addresses five key areas:1. Choosing a Healthcare Decision-MakerThe first wish allows you to designate the person you want to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself. This person, known as your healthcare proxy or agent, will have the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf. It's crucial to choose someone you trust and who understands your values and wishes.2. Defining Your Medical Treatment PreferencesThe second wish focuses on your preferences for medical treatment. It allows you to specify the kind of medical treatment you want or don't want in various scenarios. You can outline your preferences for pain management, comfort, and life-supporting treatments. The document provides options for you to be as specific as you'd like, ensuring that your wishes are known and respected.3. Ensuring Comfort and DignityThe third wish centers around your desire for comfort and dignity. You can express how you want to be cared for, including specific requests such as having pictures of loved ones in your room, being treated with kindness and cheerfulness, or even being called by a particular name or nickname. This wish allows you to define how you want people to treat you during your healthcare journey.4. Communicating Your Personal WishesThe fourth wish is an opportunity for you to communicate your personal wishes to your loved ones. You can express forgiveness, love, and any other sentiments you want your family and friends to know. Additionally, you can outline your preferences for your body after death, such as burial, cremation, or donation. This wish ensures that your lo