5 Wishes: Planning Ahead for Future Health Care Decisions with Little Tokyo Service Center

People in any stage of life can benefit from considering their health care preferences before urgent issues arise, but it can sometimes feel intimidating. It might seem taboo or like we’re risking bachi when we talk about end-of-life decisions, or we might enryo and hold back because we don’t want to burden our loved ones with heavy discussions. This presentation will introduce, 5 Wishes, a tool to plan and maintain control of critical health care decisions, and share our preferences with those involved in our care. It is an advance health care directive offered in bilingual formats, including in English and Japanese, and additional sections to facilitate communication with family members and others.

Amy Phillips is the Director of Program Administration at Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC). She has over 20 years of experience providing services, particularly to older adults and those with low-incomes, starting with her roots as a bilingual case manager and later as the Director of Senior Services at LTSC. Over the years, Amy has worked to raise the visibility of needs among immigrant older adults and advocate for greater access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services in Los Angeles County and beyond.