End of Life Decision-Making Using Five Wishes to Guide Advance Care Planning
Discussions around end-of-life planning are often difficult and uncomfortable. For guardians, particularly those who have little to no history with the person under guardianship, having this conversation in the early stages of the relationship can be beneficial to both the guardian and the person under guardianship. During such conversations, the guardian is afforded the opportunity to involve the person in decision-making to the greatest extent possible, employing the standard of self-determination. Likewise, the discussion can provide the guardian with the information necessary to advocate for the goals, needs, and preferences related to end-of-life care, a key standard in decision-making. In the absence of such conversations, guardians find themselves in the challenging place of making difficult decisions without a clear understanding of the end-of-life wishes of the person under guardianship. While having this discussion promptly is vital, how and when to initiate it can be hard. By employing the use of Five Wishes, an advance directive tool, the guardian and person under guardianship have the opportunity to discuss and document end-of-life wishes expressed during the conversation.
Participants will:
- Gain an understanding of the challenges associated with End-of-Life conversations as they relate to guardianship.
- Recognize the importance of using an advance directive tool early in the relationship to know the End-of-Life wishes of the person under guardianship.
- Learn how to use Five Wishes Advance Directive Document for End-of-Life planning for the person under guardianship.
About the Presenters: Traci Cucinotta and Paul Malley
Traci Cucinotta, MSW, MBE, LICSW is the Education and Training Specialist for Guardian Community Trust, Inc. (GCT), a non‐profit organization located in Andover, Massachusetts, that advocates for guardianship reform through research, education and an active grant‐making program. Her experience as a Medical Social Worker spans critical care, dementia, chronic mental illness and end-of-life. Her education in the field of Bioethics has given her the opportunity to teach the principles of decision-making, particularly pertaining to the ethics of end-of-life care. She is a current board member of the Massachusetts Guardianship Association, National Association of Social Workers and American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.
Paul Malley, MA, is President of Aging with Dignity, a national non-profit organization based in Tallahassee, Florida, with a mission to help individuals and their families receive the care they want in case of a serious illness. Aging with Dignity, is the creator and distributor of America’s most popular advance directive, Five Wishes, an easy-to-use legal document – used by more 35 million people – that addresses important medical issues as well as personal, emotional and spiritual matters at the end of life. Paul brings more than 20 years of experience as a national advocate for dignified care for those who are most vulnerable.
Note: This webinar is not eligible for continuing education credit.
