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February 22nd, 2026

176 Hospice Explained: The Five Wishes and Why They Matter

  1. 176 Hospice Explained: The Five Wishes and Why They Matter Marie Betcher RN 6:25

176 Hospice Explained: The Five Wishes and Why They Matter

Host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, reviews the “Five Wishes” advance care planning document after a prior episode with Yvonne Caputo. She explains where to find and purchase it (fivewishes.org and agingwithdignity.org), notes it can be notarized, and emphasizes completing it through conversations with loved ones. Marie walks through each wish: choosing the person to make decisions when you can’t and clearly sharing your choices with them; deciding what medical treatments you want or don’t want (also referencing POLST at polst.org); defining what comfort looks like and where you want to be cared for; how you want people to treat you; and what you want loved ones to know, including expressing Love and sharing guidance about personal items and other wishes. She invites listeners to share hospice-related stories by emailing her through hospiceexplained.com, and encourages subscribing and sharing the podcast.

00:00 Welcome & Medical Disclaimer (Start Here)

00:28 Meet Your Host Marie + Why This Podcast Exists

00:41 Recap: Last Week’s Guest & Introducing the Five Wishes

01:31 Wish #1: Choose Your Healthcare Decision-Maker

02:14 Wish #2: Treatments You Do (and Don’t) Want

02:59 Wish #3: Defining Comfort at the End of Life

03:55 Wish #4: How You Want People to Treat You

04:08 Wish #5: What You Want Loved Ones to Know

05:28 Where to Get Five Wishes + Share Your Story (Closing)

https://www.fivewishes.org/

https://agingwithdignity.org/five-wishes/

If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice

Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information

Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast.

Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119)

When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You)

Marie’s Contact [email protected] www.HospiceExplained.com

Finding a Hospice Agency

1. You can use Medicare.gov to help find a hospice agency,

2. choose Find provider

3. Choose Hospice

4. then add your zip code

This should be a list of Hospice Agencies local to you or your loved one.

Marie Betcher Marie Betcher BSN, RN

I am a Registered nurse with 37 years of experience. I spent 4 of those years working in Hospice.
I found out of all areas that I worked either in or out of the Hospital.

Hospice and the end of life needed the most education. I created my Podcast Hospice Explained based on that need for education.