Fill Out Your 5 Wishes Document Template

When filling out the Five Wishes Document, a common mistake is not being thorough and clear in defining the type of medical treatment desired or not desired. People often check a box or write a general statement without providing specific examples of treatments they would want or not want. This can lead to confusion for both healthcare providers and the appointed health care agent, as they might not understand the person’s preferences in complex medical situations.

Another frequent error is not selecting an appropriate health care agent. Individuals sometimes choose someone close to them without considering if that person can make difficult decisions under stress or if they are willing and able to carry out the specified wishes. Moreover, not discussing the document’s contents with the chosen agent adds to the risk that the agent might not represent the individual’s wishes accurately.

Individuals often overlook the importance of detailing how they want to be made comfortable. The document allows specifying not just medical treatments for pain or discomfort but also personal, emotional, and spiritual needs. Failing to provide these details can leave caregivers and loved ones uncertain about how to provide comfort in difficult times, possibly neglecting the person's needs for peace and dignity.

There’s also a tendency to neglect the documentation and formalization process. The document becomes legally binding only when it is filled out correctly and signed as per state requirements. Not properly signing the document, or not having it witnessed or notarized if required by the individual’s state laws, renders it ineffective. This mistake can easily undermine the individual’s intentions and lead to their wishes not being honored.

Finally, a significant mistake is the failure to communicate and share the document with relevant parties. Keeping the Five Wishes Document hidden or not informing family members, the appointed health care agent, and healthcare providers about it defeats its purpose. When the document is not accessible or known to those involved in the person’s care, the specified wishes are likely to go unheeded.

The Five Wishes document empowers individuals by allowing them to specify their care preferences in case of serious illness, combining medical, personal, emotional, and spiritual desires into a legally recognized format. Other essential documents can complement the Five Wishes Document to ensure all aspects of a person’s well-being and estate are thoroughly and clearly addressed. Below, find a list of additional forms and documents commonly used alongside the Five Wishes Document.

• Advance Healthcare Directive (Living Will): This document specifies the types of medical treatment someone wishes to receive or avoid in case they are unable to make decisions themselves. It's more clinical in detail compared to the Five Wishes, focusing strictly on healthcare.
• Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare: This form appoints a specific person to make healthcare decisions on behalf of someone if they become incapacitated. While similar to the first wish in the Five Wishes document, it's solely focused on healthcare decisions.
• Durable Financial Power of Attorney: This legal document assigns an individual the authority to manage financial affairs, such as paying bills, managing investments, and handling other financial matters if someone is unable to do so themselves.
• Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order: A medical order issued by a doctor specifying that if someone's heart stops or they stop breathing, resuscitative measures should not be attempted. This document is significant for those with terminal illnesses or specific wishes about end-of-life care.
• Organ and Tissue Donation Registration Form: This form records an individual's wish to donate their organs and tissues upon death. While Five Wishes can include this information, an official registration form ensures that these wishes are accessible in state and national registries.
• Last Will and Testament: This document spells out how someone wants their property and assets distributed after their death, and it can appoint guardians for minor children. It's crucial for estate planning but doesn't cover health care decisions.
• Trust Documents: These documents create legal entities to hold assets for beneficiaries, potentially avoiding probate, managing taxes, and specifying the conditions under which assets are distributed or used, such as educational trusts for children.

When planning for the future, combining the Five Wishes document with these supplementary forms and documents ensures comprehensive coverage of personal, financial, and health care preferences. These tools together provide clarity and peace of mind for individuals and their families, guiding them through difficult decisions with predetermined wishes clearly outlined.

The Five Wishes Document is similar to a Living Will, as both allow individuals to state their preferences for end-of-life care. A Living Will specifically covers a person's desires concerning medical treatments and interventions when they are terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state and can no longer communicate their wishes. Like the Five Wishes, it helps guide family and healthcare providers in making decisions that align with the patient's values and preferences.

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA-HC) is another document akin to the Five Wishes. This document allows an individual to appoint a Health Care Agent (or proxy) to make medical decisions on their behalf if they become unable to do so themselves. While the Five Wishes includes this aspect as its first wish, a standard DPOA-HC focuses exclusively on the delegation of decision-making authority without addressing the specifics of care preferences in various scenarios.

An Advance Healthcare Directive combines elements of both a Living Will and a DPOA-HC, making it similar to the Five Wishes. It enables individuals to outline their healthcare preferences, including life-sustaining treatments they would or would not want, and appoint a healthcare proxy. The Five Wishes Document takes this a step further by incorporating personal, emotional, and spiritual wishes alongside medical preferences.

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, while more specific and limited in scope, share the Five Wishes' goal of directing healthcare according to personal choices. A DNR order tells medical professionals not to perform CPR if a patient's heart stops or if they stop breathing. The Five Wishes allows for this type of directive within a broader document that covers more aspects of end-of-life care.

The POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form, designed for seriously ill or frail patients, details what kinds of medical treatment patients wish to receive towards the end of their lives. Like the Five Wishes, POLST is intended to ensure that patients receive only the types of care they want. However, POLST is a medical order that applies to specific treatments like intubation or feeding tubes, while Five Wishes offers a more comprehensive reflection of a person’s care preferences.

A Healthcare Proxy form specifically allows an individual to appoint another person to make healthcare decisions if they become incapacitated. This is similar to the first wish in the Five Wishes Document but does not include the additional aspects of personal, emotional, and spiritual needs. However, both documents ensure that someone trusted can advocate for the patient's wishes.

An Ethical Will, though not a legal document, shares the spirit of the Five Wishes by communicating values, life lessons, and hopes for the future to family and friends. While it doesn't deal directly with medical decisions, an Ethical Will complements the Five Wishes by providing a more rounded view of one’s personal and spiritual desires alongside healthcare preferences.

A Mental Health Advance Directive allows individuals to outline their preferences for treatment in case of a mental health crisis, including medications, hospitalization preferences, and even refusal of certain treatments. Similar to the treatment preferences outlined in the Five Wishes, it guides care in a way that respects the patient's values and autonomy but focuses specifically on mental health situations.

An Organ and Tissue Donation Registration form allows individuals to indicate their wish to donate organs and tissues upon death. This act, which can be integrated into the Five Wishes Document, focuses on the specific aspect of posthumous medical decisions, highlighting the individual's wishes regarding the use of their body after death to save or improve others' lives.

Lastly, a Funeral Planning Declaration enables individuals to articulate their preferences for their funeral arrangements, similar to how the Five Wishes allows people to express how they want their end-of-life care to be handled. This could include details about burial or cremation, the type of service desired, and other personal touches. While primarily concerning posthumous matters, it reflects the comprehensive planning seen in the Five Wishes Document.

When filling out the Five Wishes Document, it's important to consider both the things you should do to ensure your wishes are clearly communicated and the actions that could potentially compromise the effectiveness of the document. Here is a carefully crafted list of dos and don'ts to guide you through this process:

1. Choose a Health Care Agent who knows you well, cares about your well-being, and can reliably act on your behalf. It's essential that this person is someone you trust and who is comfortable making decisions under pressure.

2. Communicate openly with your Health Care Agent and loved ones about your wishes. Having a conversation about your decisions can help avoid confusion or conflict later on.

3. Be specific about your medical treatment preferences, including circumstances under which you would want or not want certain treatments. Clarity is key to ensuring your wishes are followed.

4. Consider the legal requirements of your state to ensure your Five Wishes Document is valid. Although it's designed to be recognized in most states, checking your state's specific requirements can prevent legal issues.

• Don't leave any sections incomplete. If a question doesn't apply or you're unsure how to answer, seek guidance rather than skipping it. Incomplete documents can lead to ambiguity.

• Don't choose a Health Care Agent without discussing it with them first. Confirm that your chosen agent is willing and able to take on this responsibility.

• Don't forget to regularly review and update your document. Over time, your wishes or circumstances (such as the law or your relationships) might change.

• Don't keep your completed Five Wishes Document a secret. Share copies with your Health Care Agent, family, and physicians to ensure everyone is informed.

There are several misconceptions about the Five Wishes Document, a living will designed to help individuals express their preferences for end-of-life care. Understanding these misconceptions can help individuals and their families make informed decisions about using the document.

• Misconception 1: The Five Wishes Document is legally binding in all states. While the Five Wishes Document is recognized in many states, it does not meet the legal requirements in all 50 states. Users should verify its legality in their specific state.
• Misconception 2: It's too complicated for non-medical individuals to complete. The document is designed to be easy-to-understand and complete, guiding individuals through their choices without the need for medical or legal expertise.
• Misconception 3: Only the elderly or terminally ill need a Five Wishes Document. Anyone over the age of 18 can benefit from having a Five Wishes Document to ensure their preferences are known, regardless of their health status.
• Misconception 4: It's only about refusing treatment. The document covers more than just medical treatments one does or does not want; it addresses personal, emotional, and spiritual wishes as well.
• Misconception 5: A lawyer must draft it for validity. While legal advice can be helpful, the Five Wishes Document can be filled out by individuals themselves, following the instructions provided.
• Misconception 6: The designated health care agent has unlimited power. The document allows for specific limitations and instructions to guide the agent’s decisions, ensuring they act in accordance with the individual’s wishes.
• Misconception 7: Five Wishes covers all aspects of legal estate planning. It is focused on health care wishes and does not replace a last will and testament or other financial planning documents.
• Misconception 8: Once completed, it cannot be changed. Individuals can update their Five Wishes Document as their preferences or circumstances change, by completing a new document and destroying the old one.
• Misconception 9: It is only for people with a clear idea of their end-of-life wishes. The document can help individuals clarify their values and wishes, serving as a tool for reflection and conversation with loved ones.
• Misconception 10: The document is enough to ensure wishes are followed. Communication with family, friends, and healthcare providers about one’s wishes, as outlined in the document, is crucial for ensuring the document’s effectiveness.

Understanding these misconceptions helps individuals approach the Five Wishes Document with realistic expectations, ensuring they can effectively communicate their end-of-life preferences.

The Five Wishes Document empowers individuals to outline their preferences for medical care, comfort, treatment by others, and the sharing of their wishes with loved ones in the event of serious illness. Here are nine key takeaways for completing and utilizing this important document:

• The document is not just a medical directive but also encompasses personal, emotional, and spiritual desires related to end-of-life care.
• It is legally valid in 42 states and the District of Columbia, offering a peace of mind that wishes regarding medical treatment will be honored.
• Individuals 18 years and older can fill out the Five Wishes, making it a versatile tool for adults at any stage of life.
• One of the document's core functions is to designate a Health Care Agent, a trusted person chosen to make health care decisions on behalf of the individual if they are unable to do so themselves.
• Clear communication is crucial. The chosen Health Care Agent should be someone who understands the individual's wishes and is willing and able to advocate for them.
• It's possible to change or revoke the Health Care Agent designation at any time, ensuring that the individual's current preferences are always accurately represented.
• Completing the Five Wishes can facilitate important conversations among family members, friends, and healthcare providers about end-of-life preferences.
• In states where the Five Wishes does not meet legal requirements, it can still serve as a complementary document to express wishes not covered by the state's legal forms.
• If someone decides to adopt the Five Wishes Document after having other advance directives in place, they must revoke all previous documents for the Five Wishes to be effective.

By thoughtfully filling out the Five Wishes Document, individuals ensure their values and preferences are respected during critical times. This not only provides clarity and comfort for the individual but also eases the decision-making process for loved ones and healthcare professionals.