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Plan Ahead: Your Healthcare Decisions Matter Today

National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is an initiative that encourages adults of all ages to plan ahead of a health crisis.

When we make health decisions ahead of time and put those wishes in writing, we bring peace of mind to our families. We enable our caregivers to advocate for us when we are unable to do so for ourselves. We are more likely to avoid the difficult situations that are so common when we become seriously ill and our loved ones are left to guess what we would have wanted.

Nurse in blue scrubs sitting on a couch with an elderly man in a living room setting.

Join the Movement

Businesses and not-for-profit organizations have participated in NHDD in an effort to promote their services in their community. Although healthcare providers have traditionally used NHDD to increase their patients’ completion of advance directives, hundreds of associations including faith-based organizations, community coalitions and workplaces used National Healthcare Decisions Day to increase member engagement.

How Five Wishes Can Help

Five Wishes is a comprehensive, person-centered advance care planning program that offers healthcare providers a proven, easy-to-use approach to having effective and compassionate conversations. For NHDD, consider using these resources to step up your community outreach:

  • Happy Family

    Five Wishes - America's Most Popular Advance Directive

    The most popular and easy to understand and use advance directive in America. This 12-page document, with a national circulation of more than 40 million, meets the legal requirements in all 50 states (some states require a special form – ask for more information). It includes important personal, emotional, and spiritual matters in addition to medical wishes.

    Get Five Wishes (Paper Format) 
  • child with their grandparents

    Include Your Own Branding

    Half or all of the outside back cover of Five Wishes can be custom printed with your organization’s logo, message and contact information. Place your order by March 20 to ensure delivery by NHDD. Contact our Partner Relations Team to get started.

    Get started 
  • Discussion in a meeting

    Free Buttons and Sticker

    When you order Five Wishes for your NHDD event, you can request to receive Five Wishes’ promotional "Have You Signed Yours?" buttons and/or Five Wishes stickers while supplies last. These are ideal for staff, volunteers and creating awareness.

    Submit a request 
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Doctor discussing report with old couple

Five Wishes NHDD Tools

Five Wishes is your resource for advance directives and end-of-life care issues. As the national leader in advance care planning, we have developed tools to help you spread the word to maximize your NHDD efforts:

Woman in a wheelchair being assisted by a healthcare professional in a home setting.

Webinar: Maximize Your Five Wishes

Available exclusively for the month of April!

In this webinar recorded live April 2, Aging with Dignity President Paul Malley walks you through Five Wishes, America’s most popular healthcare directive and provides tips for completing Five Wishes, guidance on talking with loved ones about your care preferences, advice on sharing your wishes with healthcare providers, and best practices for making your plan clear, effective, and legally valid.