250701 In the End

Monday, October 31, 2011: 1:10 PM

Charlotte Roseby , Yew Tree Films, Melbourne, Australia
Old people used to die at home, surrounded by their loved ones. Now they are ending up in intensive care, connected to machines and surrounded by strangers.

Intensive Care specialist Dr Charlie Corke is committed to give his elderly patients every chance to get better, but he knows that sometimes the treatment is only lengthening the dying process, causing discomfort and distress.

This documentary takes us on a journey of a doctor who is trying to balance his own enthusiasm for medical technology with an acceptance that, after a long and healthy life, it's OK to go.

IN THE END is a beautiful and profound film that follows the journey of patients, their families and their doctor dealing with a modern-day dilemma of our own making.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Explain the importance of thinking about choices for treatment at the end of life, in advance. Describe the potential for life-prolonging treatments to prolong and complicate dying. Discuss the point where the increasing burden of medical intervention comes to outweigh the benefit Explore the idea that the balance of harms and benefits may make a peaceful death the better choice.

Keywords: Death, Decision-Making

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the director of the film
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: International Health Films Session 1
See more of: APHA-Film Festival