Free screening of ‘Being Mortal’ on Nov. 1

Covenant Care is holding a free, community screening of the documentary “Being Mortal” on Nov. 1, 6-8 p.m. at University of West Florida, Building 22. After the screening, audience members can participate in a guided conversation with a panel of local experts on how to take concrete steps to identify and communicate wishes about end-of-life goals and preferences.

RSVP is requested by Oct. 25, by emailing beingmortal@choosecovenant.org or calling 850-209-7204.

“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. If 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.

In February 2015, “Being Mortal’ aired nationally on the PBS program “Frontline.” 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 best-selling book of the same name. More information about the book is at http://atulguwande.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. Covenant Care has partnered locally with University of West Florida Center on Aging, and MECOP. Covenant will provide continuing education units for healthcare professionals attending.