Free Screening of “Being Mortal”

Presented by Hospice of Santa Cruz County

Hospice of Santa Cruz County is holding a free, community screening of the documentary “Being Mortal” on October 20, at 6:30-8:30PM at the Del Mar Theater. After the screening, audience members can participate in a guided conversation with healthcare professionals on how to take concrete steps to identify and communicate wishes about end-of-life goals and preferences.

“Being Mortal” delves into the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illness. The film investigates the practice of caring for the dying and explores the relationships between patients and their doctors. It follows a surgeon, Dr. Atul Gawande, as he shares stories from the people and families he encounters. When Dr. Gawande’s own father gets cancer, his search for answers about how best to care for the dying becomes a personal quest. The film sheds light on how a medical system focused on a cure often leaves out the sensitive conversations that need to happen so a patient’s true wishes can be known and honored at the end.

“Being Mortal” underscores the importance of people planning ahead and talking with family members about end-of-life decisions. Seventy percent of Americans say they would prefer to die at home, but nearly 70 percent die in hospitals and institutions. Ninety percent of Americans know they should have conversations about end-of-life care, yet only 30 percent have done so.

For more information about the film, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/being-mortal/. The film is adapted from Dr. Gawande’s 2014 nationally bestselling book of the same name. More information about the book is at http://atulgawande.com/book/being-mortal/.

The free screening is made possible by a grant from The John and Wauna Harman Foundation in partnership with the Hospice Foundation of America.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County (HSCC) envisions a community where all people live and die with dignity. Since 1978, HSCC has honored the choices of individuals and families by providing exemplary end-of-life care and grief. As the county’s leading nonprofit provider of hospice care, the hospice program is enriched by community grief support, a children’s bereavement camp, transitional care services, pet companion and music therapy programs, hospice care for veterans, and end-of-life education and outreach. HSCC serves approximately 3,500 Santa Cruz County residents annually.

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Learn more at www.hospicesantacruz.org.