Book discussion participants offer high praise for Summer Read
Courtesy of FRONTLINE
Over the past few months, readers across central Pennsylvania have plunged into WITF’s 2015 Summer Read, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End” by Atul Gawande. In the book, Gawande, a practicing surgeon and bestselling author, examines end-of-life care options in the United States, highlighting just how important it is for families and friends to talk frankly about death and aging, however uncomfortable the discussions may be.
In the end, Gawande argues that quality of life must be taken into account when considering an ill patient’s end-of-life care, especially if a particular treatment or procedure might sacrifice a patient’s overall comfort. He also acknowledges that patients’ families can and should question the status quo – including doctors – in an effort to find the best course of action for patients facing their final days.
These themes have strongly resonated with people from across the midstate, who have met in groups to discuss “Being Mortal.” At one particular book discussion in Lancaster, participants freely discussed their own end-of-life wishes, how they are planning for their own deaths and the deaths of their loved ones, and how Gawande’s book has made them reconsider their views of end-of-life medical care.
Pat Shah of Manheim Township said the book made him realize that quality of life is so much more important to him than the number of years he’s lived.
“You don’t need to just keep on extending life for one week, or three months, or one year,” Shah said. “I have had a full life. I have good children. I had a good life. I don’t need to extend my life for somebody else anymore, or for myself. I don’t want to continue to be under treatment, to spend a lot of money and have my kids and have my wife or spouse or family suffer.”
Shah added the book inspired him to put his end-of-life directives in writing.
“I went to a lawyer and prepared my…in-detail, medical wish list,” Shah said. “In specific, what are the thing I want to be done to me, and what are the specific things I do not want to be done to me?”
Shah seemed grateful to Gawande for opening up a dialogue about death.
“For the first time, somebody is talking so openly about this particular subject, and what happens in the medical field and how the doctors are trained, and what is critical and important,” Shah said.
Jere Stabley of Lancaster echoed Shah’s comments, saying the book reiterated his own plans for aging at home.
“At this point in time, I would like to stay in my apartment, and if possible, have somebody even come in and take care of me,” Stabley said. “I might change my mind, of course, but that’s kind of where I’m at.”
Stabley said “Being Mortal” reemphasized the importance of having the tough conversation about death – just as he did with his two daughters.
“Most people are afraid, so afraid, of death,” Stabley said. “But it really is a part of life.”
Meanwhile, Cindy Cover, also of Lancaster, said she admired Gawande’s ability to step outside of his duties as a medical professional, and instead approach end-of-life care as someone who’s simply trying to find the best care for his aging parents.
“Physicians are trained to save your life, to do one more thing, to find a new way, a better way,” Cover said. “And for [Gawande] to step back and say, ‘Wait, it’s not only about the quantity, it’s about the quality [of life], too,’ it was amazing to me that he could do that.”
Cover added she’s recently become more attuned to the issue of aging as her elderly father’s health has declined.
“It really has hit home that this is something that all of us are going to face,” Cover said. “I think [the book] will make us think more about how as family and friends and community we can band together and be proactive and make things happen for ourselves so that we get to keep whatever independence, privacy, [and] decision-making that we can.”
Overall, Cover, and the rest of the book discussion group, give “Being Mortal” a glowing review: “I think it’s one of the best books I’ve read…It’s just a wonderful book. It is positive. It’s proactive. It doesn’t just describe a problem, it also talks about possible solutions. I think it empowers people to look in themselves and out into their communities to find those solutions. I think it could make a big difference.”
“Summer Read” is also additionally supported by Capital BlueCross, WellSpan Health, and Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Be part of the conversation!
As part of WITF’s Summer Read program, and in partnership with the non-profit Aligning Forces for Quality- South Central PA and Central PA library systems, we’ll be screening Frontline’s “Being Mortal” documentary, based on Atul Gawande’s book by the same name, in three different locations in September and October. At each free screening, experts will also discuss end-of-life care and answer audience questions.
All three screenings begin at 6 pm. We hope to see you there!
