In recognition of National Healthcare Decision Day, set aside each year to encourage adults to plan for a serious illness or injury, Helios Care will distribute complimentary copies of the nation’s most popular advanced care planning resource, Five Wishes.
Many people avoid thinking about and discussing health care decisions and find it challenging to do so when they are in the middle of a healthcare crisis. Five Wishes is an advanced directive that allows individuals and families to make important decisions in terms that are meaningful and understandable to them, and helps patients and families more effectively communicate their decisions to health care providers. In addition to important medical issues, Five Wishes addresses “What Matters Most” - matters of the heart and soul (comfort, family relationships, dignity, and spirituality) and encourages people to be specific about their wishes in their own words.
Kelly McGraw, chief operating officer of Helios Care, said it can’t emphasize enough - the importance of advanced care planning for all of us. The organization’s mission includes providing education and support for those dealing with a serious illness, and staff is committed to serving as a local resource for people of all ages and in all stages of life.
Helios Care staff is grateful for the community’s generous support for our patients and families, so to give back is to provide the 5 Wishes document at no cost to community members.
Additional information about advance care planning is available at HeliosCare.org. To receive a free copy of Five Wishes or for assistance completing the document, call 607-432-5525.
