When navigating end of life decisions, there often seem to be more questions than answers. This section is designed to help you get quick answers to frequently asked questions and understand where loved ones may be in their journey.
Planning ahead
It’s never easy to think about worst-case scenarios, but having honest conversations now helps ensure your wishes are known if difficult decisions ever need to be made. Taking time to complete or update important legal and medical documents while you’re healthy and thinking clearly can bring peace of mind to you and your loved ones.
Consider thinking through the following or consult with a legal or medical professional to guide the conversation.
- Health care interventions such as CPR, ventilator use, artificial nutrition or hydration
- Comfort care measures, like hospice
- Advance directives or living wills
- Power of Attorney (POA)
- Medical care orders such as DNR (do not resuscitate) or DNI (do not intubate)
- Organ and tissue donation
Five Wishes
This advance care plan addresses personal, emotional and spiritual wishes, in addition to medical treatment. Think of it as a roadmap for how you want to be cared for. With the Five Wishes physical and digital booklets, individuals and their families can feel prepared and confident when it comes to end-of-life decisions.