Five Wishes for End-of-Life Care

In civil lawsuits, courts can only award money; they cannot truly heal people’s physical and emotional pain.  When probate cases go wrong, family members can become estranged.  They might voice their grievances in financial terms, but often the problem is not really about money.  How much money you have is largely beyond your control, especially at this stage in your life, but there is much you can do to protect your family from getting caught up in legal battles about issues that are even more emotionally charged than finances, namely your care during your final years or when you are in poor health.  In estate planning, you should hope for the best but plan for the worst.  You should live each day with the expectation that you will be healthy until the end of your life, but you should also execute estate planning documents that prepare for less pleasant scenarios.  The Five Wishes for end-of-life care are a framework for leaving instructions about your healthcare for your family and caregivers to follow if you become too ill to speak for yourself.  For help thinking through your Five Wishes and setting your wishes in writing, contact a Dade City estate planning lawyer.

Your Estate Plan Should Include Five Wishes That Have Nothing to Do With Money

The nonprofit organization Aging With Dignity offers five downloadable forms where seniors can express their wishes about end of life care.  Whether you use the exact forms that the organization suggests, you should also address these wishes in your estate plan.  These are the Five Wishes you should set in writing:

• Healthcare proxy – This is a legal document that indicates the person who has the legal right to consent to medical treatment for you if you are too ill to voice your consent. It is also sometimes called a healthcare power of attorney.
• Advance medical directive – Also known as a living will, this document indicates which potentially life-prolonging treatments you want if you become seriously ill. For example, it indicates the circumstances in which you would want cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), artificial respiration with a ventilator, and intravenous nutrition.
• Pain relief – The third wish is your written instructions about palliative care. How much pain relief do you want if you become terminally ill?  In such a situation, is it more important to prolong your life or minimize your pain?
• Emotional and spiritual care – The fourth wish relates to your interpersonal interactions during your final illness. Which family members or clergy members, if any, do you want to be allowed to visit you in the hospital or nursing home?
• Things you want your family to know – The fifth wish is a statement of things you want to be sure that your family and friends know, even if you do not have an opportunity to say these things when you are alive and well.

Contact a Florida Estate Planning Attorney About End-of-Life Care Wishes

An estate planning attorney can help you express your wishes about the physical and emotional aspects of your care if you become terminally ill.  Contact The Law Office of Laurie R. Chane in Dade City, Florida to discuss your case.