THE FIVE WISHES WORKSHOP

By Shirley M. Carolan, ATM-G

April, for me, ended with a bang!  One of the perks of living in the Golden Triangle (Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista) is that the senior citizen centers have such excellent activities to enjoy and are for every lifestyle.  Once a year the Carlsbad Senior Center holds a workshop entitled “THE FIVE WISHES.”   This workshop is presented by the Elizabeth Hospice of Escondido and I attended it last year.  I liked what I heard and expected to take some action to complete my “Five Wishes”  workbook.  I never got around to doing that …

February this year an emergency hospital stay made me realize the importance and necessity of having my “Five Wishes” workbook completed, and signed by my respective designees.  So, when I heard that Carlsbad was offering this workshop again I dropped everything and signed up.  I even gave up the COPD physical therapy class that day in La Jolla to do this!

So what is the “Five Wishes” workshop all about?  Basically it encompasses the following:

1.     Listing the person I want to make “care decisions” for me when I can’t.

2.    The kind of medical treatment I want, or don’t want.

3.    How comfortable I want to be (when I reach the end of my life)

4.    How I want people to treat me.

5.    What I want my loved ones to know.

Obviously, the last three wishes deal with my personal, spiritual and emotional wishes.  And by filling out in detail what I want to happen in the event of terminal/sudden serious illness, auto accident, cardiac arrest, etc. I will be helping my family, doctors, health care providers, friends and others in knowing what my wishes are without placing added burdens on them.  This is also a wonderful booklet to use if you are thinking about donating any organs when you pass on.  It should be signed and witnessed by two other people, and a copy given to your M.D.

The Five Wishes is for anyone over 18 years old, married, single, parents, adult children, and friends.  We were supplied the booklet at the workshop but you can order it for a nominal fee through:  “Aging With Dignity” www.agingwithdignity.org. I’ve just given you a bird’s eye view here but there is so much more to read and learn.  Our presenter, Theresa Gallegos, was outstanding and had a great sense of humor!  She can be reached at:  760-519-1441 or www.elizabethhospice.org.

For you curious folks, the Five Wishes began with Jim Towey who worked closely for 12 years with Mother Teresa.  For one year he also lived in a hospice which she ran in Washington, DC  This first hand experience inspired him to write the Five Wishes.  It has received overwhelming response and has been featured on CNN,  NBC’s Today Show as well as Time and Money magazines.

Good luck and I hope you will check this out.

Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
Writer ● Speaker ● Artist
artistwithaflair@att.net
Phone/Fax: 760-732-0663http://www.shirleycarolan.com
http://www.angelscross.blogspot.com
http://www.smcarolan.blogspot.com

Copyright© 2013 by Shirley M. Carolan. All rights reserved. To reprint any part of this article simply contact Shirley Carolan at artistwithaflair@att.net. Thank you.