Tallahassee Nonprofit Offers Alternative to Assisted Suicide

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The article discusses the challenges faced at the end of life and argues that assisted suicide is not the answer. Instead, it highlights the Five Wishes advance directive program, a Tallahassee-based nonprofit that helps people plan their end-of-life care preferences before a health crisis occurs.

Why it matters

As more states and countries consider legalizing physician-assisted suicide, there are concerns that it could lead to discriminatory practices against vulnerable populations, such as those with disabilities. The Five Wishes program offers an alternative approach that allows individuals to express their preferences for care and maintain their dignity, even when a cure is not possible.

The details

The Five Wishes advance directive was introduced in Tallahassee nearly 30 years ago by the nonprofit Aging with Dignity. It has since become the most widely used advance directive in America, with more than 44 million documents distributed in 33 languages by thousands of partner organizations. The program allows individuals to express their preferences for care, including their wishes for medical treatment, personal care, and spiritual support, before a health crisis occurs.

• The Five Wishes program was introduced in Tallahassee nearly 30 years ago, in the early 1990s.
• The program has since become the most widely used advance directive in America, with more than 44 million documents distributed in 33 languages.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Five Wishes program continues to expand its reach, with the goal of helping more people plan their end-of-life care preferences before a health crisis occurs.