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MyValues

Your voice when you can't speak
for yourself.

About MyValues

Create your MyValues Profile today

"MyValues is a great process, helping me work through my thoughts and opinions. Really useful. Thank you"

Judith

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Not-For-Profit

MyValues is a not-for-profit service operated by Barwon Health.

Supported

MyValues is funded by The Victorian Department of Health.

Free to Use

MyValues is free to use with no catches or hidden costs to users.

Thank you for visiting the MyValues website. This service is currently only available to users from within Australia.

All information collected will be treated in the responsible manner that you would expect from official health care providers. This is detailed in our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

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The benefits of MyValues

»MyValues lets me have the conversation now.«

MyValues allows you to make your healthcare wishes clear while you are still able. Discussing your MyValues report with your family will give them a better understanding and respect of your future healthcare wishes.

»MyValues helped me speak to my family about a touchy issue.«

MyValues is a non-emotional approach to what can be a delicate subject. The step-by-step approach not only helps you complete your MyValues report with ease, it also takes the sensitivity out of discussions with your family. Your wishes are clearly expressed and easily understood.

»MyValues helped stop a family dispute.«

With MyValues, your family knows your views and your wishes. So when it comes to making important decisions later in life, there's no need for an argument or discussion about what you would want, it's all there, in your MyValues report.

»MyValues gives us peace of mind.«

With MyValues you are safe in the knowledge that your future healthcare wishes are safely recorded, easily understood and will be acted upon if needed. So you can rest assured and get on with life.

»MyValues puts the responsibility for my care in my hands.«

It's your healthcare and MyValues makes sure that it's your wishes that are followed at a time when you may not be able to speak for yourself. MyValues helps you take that responsibility and ensures that your desires are clearly expressed and understood.

About MyValues

MyValues is a set of specially constructed statements designed to help you identify, consider and communicate your wishes about the medical treatment you would want in the later stages of life.

As a result of serious illness, accident or simply as a result of decline at the end of life, you may reach a stage when you are incapable of making or communicating your choices concerning your health care and medical intervention.

In this situation your doctor and family will have to make decisions for you and they will look for clear guidance from you.

That's where MyValues can help.

With MyValues you can create your own values profile. A profile that explains your values in relation to life, death and medical intervention.

Understanding and respecting your values will help your doctors and your family to make better choices about your medical treatment. With this information, they can feel reassured that they are respecting your wishes.

MyValues can help sort out and clarify some very emotive issues that can be difficult to discuss, even with your closest family members – all in a very simple and objective way.

MyValues helps you consider important questions and choices that may not have occurred to you.

Finally, MyValues analyses your responses to find consistent themes, creating a report of the values that are important to you. This report can then be shared with your family and doctors.

 

This version of MyValues was created with valuable input from Sharyn Milnes, Nick Simpson, Jonathan Silverman and Julian Savulecu. The process was facilitated by Deb Porter with critical feedback from the Camperdown community group.

 

Why we created MyValues

We specifically designed MyValues to help address an important problem – that we generally don't know what people would want when confronted by difficult life-and-death decisions.

Most of us enjoy life and want to live as long as we can – so we are reassured to know that medical care is there for us when we need it. We instinctively want to prolong our lives.

The amazing advances in medical treatment mean that most of us will live to old age, but then suffer a long period of decline with a number of medical crises. We can easily end up in a state that we would prefer to avoid.

Doctors and families feel a tremendous responsibility to extend life whenever they feel that there is any chance of survival, however small. This approach easily leads to a great deal of technology being used in the weeks and months before death. By the time everyone agrees that treatment is not working (or is too much to bear), life can easily have become very miserable for the person concerned.

When we think beyond a natural instinct to try to avoid death (at any cost) almost everyone can imagine situations that we would not want for ourselves. Worries about severe impairment, burdensome treatment and simply prolonging the dying process are almost universal.

Unfortunately when faced with medical crisis, even family members who know us intimately often struggle to made decisions – and decisions not to ‘prevent death are generally very much harder than a decision to 'do everything'.

When families make decisions about end-of-life care, in the absence of clear guidance from their dying relative they can often be left with prolonged guilt, whichever way the decision goes.

Many of us put off talking about these decisions but this is not wise. It is very difficult to think rationally in a crisis and serious disease often impairs clear thinking, and quite often people who are very sick will be unconscious, so can’t say anything at all.

It is vital that we all create and communicate a clear record of our values well before a medical crisis, at a time when there is no pressure and plenty of time.

As medical treatment gets more complex, we need, more than ever, to put you, and what matters to you, at the centre of your care.
MyValues gives you the opportunity to think about lots of values that have been identified as important drivers of decision making for others, it helps you to define those things that are important for you – and helps you share these with important decision makers.
I really hope it helps you.

Charlie Corke

Associate Professor Charlie Corke
Senior Intensive Care Specialist, Barwon Health

If you are interested to learn more, these issues are explored in more detail (with illustrative patient stories) in the book Letting Go by Charlie Corke, published by Scribe.

Information you might want to know

Do I need a MyValues Profile?

A MyValues Profile is important for everyone and can be completed at any time in your life; it isn't just for when you are sick or nearing the end of your life.

What is involved in creating a MyValues Profile?

After registering with MyValues you will be shown a series of statements one-by-one and asked to select your level of agreement with each statement, on a 5-level scale from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree'. Once you have responded to all statements, the system will instantly analyse your answers to create your profile.

Is it OK to be unsure about some of the statements?

The statements examine many different values, some of which may not be things that are important for you personally and that you don't have strong feelings about.

Where you are uncertain about a particular point it is entirely appropriate and reasonable to respond that you are 'unsure'. Many people, especially those who are younger and fitter, are unsure about a lot of the things that are raised in MyValues.

It is unusual for anyone to be certain about everything, indeed such people can be rather unimaginative and rigid. A degree of uncertainty is expected and needs to be accepted.

How long does it take to create a MyValues Profile?

Most people already know quite clearly how they feel and can respond to most of the statements without much hesitation, so the whole process should take less than 30 minutes to complete.

Do I have to complete a MyValues Profile in one sitting?

To enable a MyValues Profile to be created all the statements need to be responded to, but not necessarily all at once. If you get interrupted, or feel you need some more time to think about things, you can save your partially completed profile and come back to it another time.

What happens once I've completed a MyValues Profile?

Once you have responded to all the statements the results are analysed and the MyValues Profile is date stamped and registered online. We encourage you to share your Profile by creating a MyValues Report that you can print or email. Should the day come when you are incapable of expressing your wishes regarding your ongoing treatment and care a MyValues Report is there to be your voice.

Can I change my responses to the MyValues Profile statements?

You can change your responses and update your MyValues Profile at any time. Each time you update your profile a new MyValues Report can be generated. It is important to provide family and medical professionals with these new or updated reports.

Who do I talk to about MyValues?

It is recommended that you discuss your feelings, values and wishes with close friends and family so they are able to understand your thought process and respect your values regarding life saving and life prolonging medical treatment.

Not all family members will necessarily agree with your wishes, but others will be happy that you have taken responsibility for your care and taken the onus off them to make such important and personal decisions.

Information about medical treatments that you may require in the future can be sought from your doctor or other health care professional; they are there to help you create an informed and considered MyValues Profile.

What is in a MyValues Report?

A MyValues Report displays your strongly and moderately held views; as well as any additional comments, statements or directions entered by you at the time of completing the questionnaire. A report also contains an overview of your attitude towards medical intervention and whether you prefer to make decisions for yourself or with doctors and/or family is provided.

When should I consider completing a MyValues Profile?

With MyValues it is better to do one now rather than later, and you can easily create a new report at any time as your values change.

Can I create an account for myself and my partner using the same email address?

A MyValues Profile requires you to have a unique email address to identify you and help verify who you say you are. Each MyValues account must have a unique email address, and you cannot share an account with anyone else. You can consider creating a unique email address with services such as GMail, Outlook or Yahoo that only you own. MyValues also always recommends that you speak face-to-face with the people you intend to share your MyValues information with.

Can I change the email address I used to create a MyValues account?

Yes. You can change the email address you use to log in and receive notifications, by logging in to your account first, navigating to 'Personal Details' - and changing the email address using the fields provided. Be careful to accurately type your email address, as we will send you a verification email each time it is changed. You may lose access to your account if you are unable to verify it using the email you receive.

What is the difference between a MyValues Profile and a MyValues Report?

A MyValues Profile is the term we use for your stored responses to the questionnaire statements and the analysis of these responses. A MyValues Report is the document you can share via print or email in order for your wishes to be understood and respected.

Who can see a MyValues Profile?

The MyValues Profile can only be shared via a MyValues Report selected via the online 'share' function available once you have completed your Profile. Each MyValues Report has a unique key number that you can give to those people you wish to view your report.

How can a MyValues Report be used?

The results contained in your MyValues Report can be used to make medical decisions for you if you don't have the capacity to decide or communicate decisions for yourself. You can also appoint a substitute decision maker, usually a friend or family member, who can assist in carrying out your wishes.

How does MyValues fit with other Advance Care Planning?

MyValues provides validated information about personal values that informs decision making. It is advance care planning in its own right and supplements any other advance care plans that may be available (such as instruction relating to specific treatments that may be rejected or requested).

What role does a MyValues Report have in an emergency?

If your MyValues Report is immediately available, medical treatment decisions will be made by reviewing this information and discussing your wishes and treatment options with family members and your substitute decision maker (if you have appointed one).

If your MyValues Report is not available then life-prolonging treatment may be undertaken until it can be obtained, and the matter discussed with your family and/or substitute decision maker. If it becomes clear that you have indicated that you do not desire such treatment, then it can be stopped.

Is a MyValues Report legally binding?

A MyValues Report is a personal document that, once lodged, becomes something that your family and medical staff should take into account when treating you in the event that you are incapable of communicating your wishes. Medical professionals are not legally bound to act in accordance with your MyValues Report, but acting prudently, could be expected to comply with the expressed wishes. The report can be overridden by you at any time, verbally, in writing or by revising it.

With or without a MyValues Report can I refuse medical treatment?

Yes, you have the right to refuse all medical treatment or request some forms of treatment not be undertaken.

MyValues

Your voice when you can't speak
for yourself.