Often there are no easy decisions toward the end of life. I’ve seen families regret deciding to take one course of action because it “did not turn out well” but fail to realize that ultimately both courses of action were not going to “turn out well.” My advice is to remember there are no easy decisions and not to blame yourself just because it did not turn out well.

One such document that might help you and your loved ones toward the end of life is an advanced medical directive. The organization, Aging with Dignity, has provided a free and relatively easy method of thinking through these issues and creating such a document which they have called “Five Wishes“.

Five Wishes lets your family and doctors know:

1. The person you want to make health care decisions for you when you can’t make them.
2. The kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want.
3. How comfortable you want to be.
4. How you want people to treat you.
5. What you want your loved ones to know.

These aren’t easy questions, but the PDF Five Wishes document has a simple format where you cross out whatever you don’t want.

Subscribe to Marotta On Money and receive free access to the presentation: 10 Money Ideas in Retirement.