Hospice of Michigan to host free screening of Being Mortal on May 18 at Crittenton Hospital in Rochester

ROCHESTER, Mich. (April 25, 2017) – Join Hospice of Michigan for a free screening and discussion of the PBS FRONTLINE documentary, Being Mortal, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center Auditorium, located at 1101 W. University Drive in Rochester. The 54 minute film is based on the best-selling book by Atul Gawande, M.D.

The film explores the hopes of terminally ill patients and their families, investigates the practice of caring for the dying, and delves into the relationships between patients and their doctors.

Following the screening, moviegoers are invited to a special panel session with experts moderated by Glenn Garwood, administrative director, emergency services at Crittenton and Wendy Jones, owner of Next Steps 4 Seniors. Attendees will learn how to take steps to identify and communicate wishes about end-of-life goals and preferences.

Panelists include:

  • Doug Kaherl, associate pastor at Creekside Christian Church
  • Robert Mannor, CELA, certified elder law attorney at Mannor Law Group
  • Denise Gunderson, LMSW, social worker at Crittenton Hospital
  • Michael Paletta, MD, FAAHPM, vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer for Hospice of Michigan

The event has been approved for continuing education credits (2.0 CE) for social workers and licensed professional counselors (NBCC) credits.

This event is sponsored by Hospice Foundation of America, and underwritten by the John and Wauna Harman Foundation. Hospice of Michigan is partnering with Crittenton Hospital to bring this documentary to the Rochester area.

For more information about the free screening, please contact Susan Cujar at scujar@www.hom.org. To RSVP, please visit www.crittenton.com/classes.

About Hospice of Michigan

A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.