Page 18 - TheAlaskaNurseOctNov2018

End-of-Life Resources for Nurses,

Patients and Families

By aNdrea NuTTy

Five Wishes My Wishes and Voicing My Choices
www.fivewishes.org www.fivewishes.org
Five Wishes is the first living will that talks about your Though it is not always easy to think, or talk, about
personal, emotional and spiritual needs as well as your a serious illness with children, it is important that you
medical wishes. You can use Five Wishes to express how understand their feelings, thoughts, and wishes should
you want to be treated if you are seriously ill and unable the need ever arise. Voicing My Choices, for adolescents
to speak for yourself, using a document that is easy to and young adults, and My Wishes, for young children,
understand. All you need to do is check a box, circle are tools to help guide the discussion in the event they
a direction, or write a few sentences. The five wishes become seriously ill. Developed with feedback from young
included in the document are: people living with serious illness, these tools can help you
sensitively discuss advance care planning. Voicing My
• Wish 1: The person I want to make healthcare
Choices and My Wishes are written in language for children
decisions for me when I can’t make them for myself.
and young adults and capture how your child wants to be
• Wish 2: My wish for the kind of medical treatment I comforted, supported, treated, and remembered by family,
want or don’t want. friends and caregivers.
• Wish 3: My wish for how comfortable I want to be.
• Wish 4: My wish for how I want people to treat me. Supportive Care Matters
• Wish 5: My wish for what I want my loved ones
www.supportivecarematters.org
to know.
Supportive Care Matters is a public awareness
Five Wishes meets the legal requirements for an advance
campaign aimed at helping people living with illness
directive in Alaska. Once it is signed and witnessed, your
or challenged by aging achieve a better quality of life.
Five Wishes is a legal document. Five Wishes is for adults
Supportive care is any kind of care or support that
age 18 and older and is available today in 26 languages.
supplements your treatment and helps you live your best
life. The Supportive Care Matters website contains useful
tools and resources including information how to pay for

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