Being Mortal

Modern medicine can perform near miracles, but as surgeon and author Dr. Atul Gawande reminds us, aging and dying are two problems that can't be fixed. Sooner or later, many family members find themselves having end-of-life discussions with loved ones. Based on Gawande's titular 2014 bestselling book, filmmaker Thomas Jennings's PBS-aired Frontline documentary centers on those necessary conversations that will prove to be the most difficult many of us will ever have. Gawande presents several case studies of men and women of varying ages living with advanced cancer, including one pregnant woman who suffers from stage IV lung cancer. Gawande emphasizes the importance of listening rather than just talking, noting that sometimes the patient must be allowed to lead the discussion, outlining their worries about the future, and detailing their priorities. Gawande is also dealing with his father's terminal cancer, a process that he says is like riding a "mental roller coaster," involving the patient's need for control, stages of resignation, and—hopefully—eventual acceptance. A slow dying is likened to “having an elephant in the room," and spending the last days at home can involve mundane issues such as where to place the hospital bed and when to receive family members and other visitors. Featuring unsentimental but sensitive observations from Gawande, hospice workers, nurses, patients, and their families, this documentary could well benefit families with members facing mortality. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)