[WSBARP] The Five Wishes

[Jim Doran]

I was in the middle of doing a fairly standard “mini-estate plan” for a
couple when one of them produced a document called “Five Wishes” from a
company called “Aging With Dignity, Inc.”  

 

It contains all kinds of narratives and blank spaces to be filled in (or
not), boxes to be checked (or not).  This one that my client did also has
some paragraphs crossed out but not initials applied.  It is apparently
intended to be effective instead of and replace a Medical Directive to
Physicians and a Medical Power of Attorney.

 

This is obviously a “touchy – feely” document designed to make people feel
like they have given health care directions to the so-called “Health Care
Agent” and expressed their intentions and emotions.

 

It looks to me that the only thing they have right here is that the
document requires two witnesses and the language is similar to a Will
witness attestation and they have the place for the witnesses signatures
to be  notarized.

 

Has anyone else run onto this document?  

 

I do not like it at all.  My instincts tell me that the clients should
stick with the Medical Directive to Physicians and a Medical Power of
Attorney and not mess around with these strange documents.  If they want
to leave a touchy – feely letter to their kin, that’s fine and I recommend
it.  

 

 

 

James Doran

Attorney at Law

100 E. Pine St. - Ste 205

Bellingham, WA 98225

ph. 360-393-9506

fax 360-734-7850

www.doranlegal.com 

 

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