Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Questions. Physician and writer Atul Gawande explores end of life care in his book titled, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. I expect most of us want a good death, not too soon. Gawande explores how healthcare lets down patients especially at the end of life when actions are taken to stave off death, but end up prolonging suffering and eliminating any consideration of how a patient would like to spend their final days. Asking the right questions of patients and giving them the ability to make better choices is at the core of achieving well-being as defined by the individual. Rather than a cold exploration of the topic, this book presents personal stories, including the end of life care received by Gawande’s father. For most of us, the questions about the quality of life as we approach the end of life can be difficult. Isolation and avoidance of death is not the answer. We can all count on dying. This book can help readers think through what well-being means for each of us and what might constitute a good death. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Being Mortal from amazon.com.