A principal is the person for whom Five Wishes is being completed. If you are helping someone with their Five Wishes, make sure you enter their name, and not yours.

This information is not editable to make sure your document is always associated with you. Contact Five Wishes support to request an update or correction.

Yes, at the bottom of any page in Five Wishes Digital you can click “save and download" to create a printable version of your unsigned document.

Make sure your browser settings allow pop-ups. If you're not sure how, follow the instructions here.

Yes, go to “my documents” and click menu to see the “upload form” option.

Some states have unique requirements. Five Wishes Digital customizes your document to include everything you need to meet the laws of your state.

An advance directive like Five Wishes allows you to guide important medical care decisions that might be made if you ever get seriously ill – such as whether to give you life-support treatment. You may think that your loved ones and doctors will know what you want when you are very ill, but in reality, everyone has different wishes and it’s important to make them clearly known. Expressing your wishes in an advance directive like Five Wishes helps empower your family, friends, and doctor to make the best decisions when the time comes, and helps avoid disagreements about what to do. Completing the Five Wishes advance directive can help you and your loved ones gain peace of mind around these difficult decisions.

You will always make your own health care decisions if you are able to talk with your doctor and understand what is being said. The Five Wishes advance directive only takes effect when you are too ill to communicate. If you are unable to make your own decisions or speak for yourself, then your Five Wishes advance directive, and the person you chose to be your healthcare agent, can help direct your care with your doctor.

Yes. It was written with the help of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Law & Aging. Federal law requires medical care providers to honor patient wishes as expressed. See the advice on page 3 of Five Wishes. Follow the directions when you sign it.

Your doctor is required to follow your wishes according to the laws of your state. Each state has its own rules and conditions that a doctor must observe, and so your doctor has the final word on when your Five Wishes takes effect. To do all you can to have your wishes followed, make sure you do two things:

• Pick a health care agent (Wish 1), talk with him or her about your wishes to make sure they understand what matters to you, and confirm they will speak for you if you ever get sick.
• Tell your family members, friends, doctor - and anyone who might get involved if you become sick - who you choose as your health care agent. Some even make photocopies of their completed Five Wishes and give them to other family members.

In each of the four most common life-support treatment scenarios, you can answer that you want it; that you don’t want it; or that you want it if your doctor believes it will help, but you want it stopped if it’s not helping. The Five Wishes advance directive is the only advance directive or living will that offers these three options. It allows the health care agent to consult with the doctor and decide “yes” or “no” based on what the facts are at the time. This is why it’s important that you and your health care agent discuss your Five Wishes advance directive so that he or she has a good understanding of what you would want or not want, and under what circumstances.

Additional frequently asked questions about Five Wishes (Paper and Digital) can be found here.