Caring at the End of Life
Available on DVD with related Study Films
Stanley
By Ben Achtenberg
with Christine Mitchell, RN, FAAN

Stanley is part of the three-part Caring at the End of Life series which also includes the films Caring at the End of Life (45 minutes, $199) and Discussing Advance Directives (15 Minutes, $89). Save 35% by purchasing the complete series on a single DVD for only $249: click here.

This disturbing case study presents a comatose patient whose family and healthcare team are in conflict over how long to continue with the treatments that are keeping him alive. In making decisions about his care, they confront difficult ethical questions about patient autonomy vs. the needs of the family, about who is in a position to judge what another person would want, about the role and impact of religious faith, and about the certainty or fallibility of medical judgement. It may be particularly relevant to discussions about the concept of futility. Stanley combines several sequences from the film Caring at the End of Life, for groups who wish to discuss the implications of this particular case.

This film was partially supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

15 minutes
© 2002
Purchase $99 VHS
Order No. QA-357
ISBN (VHS) 1-57295-357-8

Reviews
"When the father and professional caregivers clash in their opinions on ending artificial life support [the] outcome is unexpected and troubling to the staff and the viewer. Illustrates how decision-making can be complicated by many factors that influence the attitudes, beliefs, and decisions made by the patient, family, and staff." American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Awards & Conference Screenings
Freddie Winner in Issues & Ethics,
International Health and Medical Film Competition
Rochester International Film Festival
American Society on Aging

Related Films
The Support Project: Documents an effort to improve end-of-life care in hospitals through encouraging better patient, family, and physician communication.

Code Gray: Academy Award nominee for Best Short Documentary. Explores four open-ended cases in which nurses confront serious ethical dilemmas in their day-to-day work.

More than a Failing Heart: Family members describe examples of the best of end-of-life care, and of the worst, and reveal how competent and compassionate physicians and nurses can change the end-of-life experience.

Common Heroes: Follows the nurses, physicians, social workers and clergy who make up the hospice team, and demonstrates the ways they collaborate to help patients and families.

The Journey Home: The candid stories of five patients exemplify the unique gifts of hope, relief, and dignity that hospice care programs offer to thousands of terminally ill patients each year.

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