A client once shared the “The Five Wishes” document, which explores issues relating to end of life care. It covers personal, spiritual, medical and legal matters and delves into specifics, in which the person can include, exclude and/or add comments.
Since the NH Advance Directives are broad in nature and generally do not scratch the surface on some of these issues, I found the Five Wishes to be thought provoking, not only as an attorney, but also as a caretaker of someone who is experiencing a serious health issue. For that reason, I thought it would be helpful to others so that it is easier to start these hard conversations with family members.
The Five Wishes are as follows:
The First Wish:
The person I want to make healthcare decisions for me when I can’t make them myself.
The Second Wish:
My wish for the kind of medical treatment I want or do not want.
The Third Wish:
My wish for how comfortable I want to be.
The Fourth Wish:
My wish for how I want people to treat me.
The Fifth Wish:
My wish for what I want my loved ones to know.
You can find more information on the Five Wishes online here!