Hospice to screen 'Being Mortal' documentary
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 8 years, 2 months AGO
Hospice of North Idaho will host a free community screening of the Frontline documentary “Being Mortal” on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 10:30 a.m. at Coeur d’Alene Public Library.
“Being Mortal” features writer and Boston surgeon Atul Gawande and explores the practice of caring for the dying and the relationships between patients and their doctors. In the film, Gawande, who also wrote a book with the same name as the documentary, shares stories from people and families he encounters, and discusses his own experience when his father gets cancer and declines.
Gawande explains what he learned about tough questions, tough decisions, and the various ways people manage fact, reality and fear in the face of death.
“It is easy for people to feel disempowered after receiving a life-limiting diagnosis, especially if they are not presented with a different perspective,” said Hospice of North Idaho’s community palliative nurse, Peggy Hodge. “Our philosophy is to provide compassionate care, giving as much information as we have to empower our patients to make decisions they are satisfied with.”
A panel discussion will follow the screening with Hospice of North Idaho experts who will dive deeper into the question “what matters most?”
The book and documentary Being Mortal provide examples of how to have the hard conversations that come up as life draws to a close.
“We, as a society don’t really talk about our wishes for our death. We do have a choice to die with peace and dignity, without pain, regrets, or suffering,” said Kelly Rey, Hospice of North Idaho’s director of social services, who helps local community members walk through this process.
Panelists will include Dr. Robert Ancker, Kootenai Health palliative care physician and Hospice of North Idaho co-medical director; Cindy Reed, R.N., certified hospice and palliative nurse, and director of Hospice of North Idaho’s Schneidmiller House; and Hospice of North Idaho executive director Kim Ransier, R.N.
Friends of the Library will host refreshments.