Dying patients are said to pass through stages of grief, denial, and anger, before (hopefully) reaching an ultimate reconciliation with the inevitability of death. Acceptance of death can be an opportunity, a way of coming together with loved ones and a doorway to letting go. This documentary follows three hospice patients on that journey; an African American woman struck down in mid-life with terminal lung cancer, an 8-year-old boy suffering violent seizures caused by a rare brain disease, and a former firefighter whose active life is cut short by an inoperable brain tumor. As the video shows, the journey to a peaceful death is not smooth. In the woman's case, her deep religious faith is an obstacle, preventing her from facing the reality of an imminent death. In the other two stories, painful unresolved family issues must be addressed while the patient still has time and energy. Viewers will see the daily work of hospice nurses, chaplains, and administrators as they listen to and communicate with patients and their families. The deaths of the woman and young boy are portrayed in a way that is unflinching, honest, and poignant, but never exploitative. Although death is inevitable, one administrator calls the work of hospice a way to "orchestrate a passing" acceptable to dying patients and their loved ones. This HBO produced documentary is strongly recommended viewing for health care providers, church and general discussion groups. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
Letting Go: A Hospice Journey
(1996) 90 min. $149. Films for the Humanities. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 12, Issue 3
Letting Go: A Hospice Journey
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