Learning Activities

There are two suggested learning activities that might be used in-class or outside of class setting with students.

Activity 1: Ask students to complete an exercise clarifying their values if they were to be diagnosed with a life threatening illness.

Activity 2: Five Wishes, discussion and review.

Activity 1:

Ask students to complete an exercise clarifying their values. Use the grid on the following page� as a guide for their decision making process if they were to be diagnosed with a life threatening illness for which treatment options offer a one in five chance of long-term survival.

After they complete the grid, ask them to discuss their decisions in small groups and then summarize the main points they had in common and the main differences they noticed in their decision-making processes.� Guide them to focus on individual differences such as backgrounds related to their religion, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnic, etc.

My Goals: If I were to be diagnosed with a life threatening illness for which the best treatment option offers a one in five chance of long-term survival.

What is important to you?� The list on the left includes things that are important to some people.� The treatment options across the top of the grid are associated with a certain life expectancy and the degree of risk. Rank the importance of each item in the first column based on each treatment.� Review the overall grid to help you see what you value most depending on specific health circumstances.

Treatment Options

Activity 2:

Obtain copies of the Five Wishes and the Five Wishes Video.� Ask students to view the video individually or in small groups.� Alternatively, show the video in class.

Ask students to discuss their Five Wishes with one member of their family or a significant other as a homework assignment.�

Afterward discuss their experiences of the Five Wishes dialogue in class focusing on the process and their feelings rather than their decisions per se.

View a non-printable example of Five Wishes at the following web site: http://www.agingwithdignity.org/ or
obtain the Five Wishes and the Five Wishes Video by visiting the following web site: http://www.agingwithdignity.org/order.html. Print, complete and mail or fax the order form to:

��������� Aging with Dignity
��������� PO Box 1661
��������� Tallahassee, FL 32302-1661
��������� Phone: (850) 681-2010
��������� Fax: (850) 681-2481

Additional order information is as follows:

• Orders with payment by credit card or purchase order are welcome by fax or mail.
• Checks may be made payable to Aging with Dignity, and should be mailed along with the order form.
• Video and Package orders: A special package combines a Five Wishes Video and 10 copies of the Five Wishes living will for $29.95. Videos may be ordered individually for $19.95.
• Individual orders: Get copies of Five Wishes for yourself, your family and friends at $5 per copy.
• Bulk orders: Multiple copies of Five Wishes are available at a discounted rate of $1 per copy (orders of 25 or more).
• Customized Five Wishes: Documents may be customized with an organization's logo and back-page message with orders of 1,000 or more.