Authors: Barry K. Baines
ISBN-13: 9780738210551, ISBN-10: 0738210552
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Date Published: May 2006
Edition: Second Edition
Barry K. Baines, M.D., is Medical Director of Ucare, Minnesota, and Associate Medical Director of Hospice of the Twin Cities. He is the co-founder and CEO of The Legacy Center, an organization dedicated to preserving stories, values, and meaning for individuals, communities, and organizations. Dr. Baines lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
A step-by-step guide to writing the two documents that will make clear your cherished wishes
Foreword | ix | |
Introduction to the Second Edition | xiii | |
1 | An Overview of Ethical Wills | 1 |
2 | An Ancient Custom Moves Forward | 7 |
A Personal Experience | 7 | |
What Are Ethical Wills and Where Did They Come From? | 10 | |
What's in an Ethical Will? | 16 | |
3 | Why and When to Write an Ethical Will | 19 |
Discovering Your Reasons | 19 | |
Life Transitions and Life-Changing Events | 21 | |
When Events Change Your Life | 27 | |
4 | How to Write an Ethical Will | 31 |
Three Approaches for Writing Your Ethical Will | 31 | |
Approach #1 | Starting with an Outline and a List of Items to Choose From | 34 |
Approach #2 | Starting with an Outline and Specific Writing Exercises | 43 |
Values and Beliefs | 45 | |
Approach #3 | Starting with a Blank Sheet of Paper | 53 |
5 | Preparing, Caring for, and Sharing Your Ethical Will | 57 |
Preparing and Preserving Your Ethical Will | 57 | |
Sharing Your Ethical Will | 59 | |
Reviewing and Renewing Your Ethical Will | 61 | |
6 | Living Wills | 65 |
What Is a Living Will? | 68 | |
Why Write a Living Will? (and What Can Happen If You Don't) | 69 | |
What to Include in Your Living Will | 71 | |
Common Misunderstandings about Living Wills | 82 | |
When to Write a Living Will | 85 | |
How to Write Your Living Will and Make It a Legal Document | 85 | |
With Whom to Share Your Living Will | 88 | |
Reviewing and Updating Your Living Will | 89 | |
The Relationship between Living Wills and Ethical Wills | 91 | |
Appendix I | Voices of the Heart: Modern Ethical Wills | 93 |
Appendix II | Ethical Will Resources | 169 |
Appendix III | Living Will Resources | 173 |
Appendix IV | Examples of Living Wills | 175 |
Appendix V | Sample Healthcare Directive Forms | 191 |
Notes | 209 | |
Acknowledgments | 215 |