One of the most heartbreaking things for families as someone faces the end of their life is the uncertainty about what the person would have wanted done in terms of medical intervention. 

 

A visual advance care plan is a one-page visual summary that is intended to help you communicate what your end of life wishes are so that your medical team and loved ones can know how to best support you when this time arrives. 

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For some, at the end of life, it can be difficult to communicate their desire for their own care. It is very helpful to state your wishes, with regard to your comfort, how you would like to be treated, and what you might want your loved ones to know in order to best meet your needs. This is in addition to communicating with your medical team, and of course, designating a medical power of attorney and communicating with them.

Five Wishes is designed to be a complete approach to discussing and documenting your care and comfort choices. Thinking through the options and making these decisions aren’t necessarily easy. Processing these considerations with an end of life visual practitioner can provide the space and practical support you may need to complete this task, and the resulting summary can then serve as a communication tool for your medical team, medical power of attorney, family and friends.