The Journey Home: Stories From Hospice

Offering physical, emotional and spiritual care, hospice aims to provide the terminally ill with comfort and dignity in the last stages of life. In this sensitive film, the viewer witnesses hospice care in action, following several social workers, nurses, doctors, and other members of Utah's Heritage Hospice interdisciplinary team as they interact with five families coping with the terminal illness of a loved one. In the first family, an elderly father with liver disease wants to continue for as long as possible his cherished outings to the nearby mountains. In the second family, a woman with non-Hodgkins lymphoma describes how hospice care has allowed her to continue pursuing invaluable personal and artistic goals in the nurturing environment of her home. Finally, in the fifth encounter, one of the hospice workers provides insight into the care provided for his own mother during the last stages of her fight against multiple sclerosis. In addition to candid access to patients and family struggling with the physical, spiritual and emotional issues surrounding death, the viewer also witnesses roundtable discussions with hospice workers as they discuss the team's approach with each family unit. Covering a wide range of emotions and issues--from anger, fear, sorrow, and denial to specific concerns associated with care-giving, pain management, and grieving children--this well-rounded look at hospice care is recommended for all health care collections. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantú)