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Discussion Name 2017 Book Club Discussions
Topic Name Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
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Being Mortal


An eye-opening and riveting look at how how medicine can not only improve life ...
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Discuss Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

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Last Post

What realities are captured in the story of Lou Sanders? What conflicts did his daughter face between her intentions and the practical needs of the family and herself? What does the book illustrate about the universal nature of this struggle for families?

2

Sep. 17, 2017
by ylhoff

How was your reading affected by the book's final scene, as Dr. Gawande fulfills his father's wishes? How do tradition and spirituality influence your concept of what it means to be mortal?

4

Sep. 18, 2017
by darylb

Have you ever lost someone you care about to serious illness? What is the best way to empathize and comfort those facing life-threatening illness? How prepared do you feel to do and say the right thing?

4

Sep. 19, 2017
by janp

Do you agree that the 80-year-old man who refused to move from his home as Mt. St. Helen's began to erupt had a right to decide his fate. What are the implications for individuals and families when elder adults are given full autonomy over their lives?

2

Sep. 20, 2017
by darylb

Doctors, and probably the rest of us, tend to define themselves by their successes, not their failures. Is this true in your life? Should we define ourselves more by our failures? How can doctors, and the rest of us, strike a balance?

7

Sep. 22, 2017
by darylb

What do you think Dr. Gawande means when he says that we've "medicalized" mortality? Do you agree? Why do you think that has happened? How can we shift to a more humane approach?

14

Sep. 23, 2017
by lilc

What is your attitude toward old age? Do you think most people are in denial about their own aging?

6

Sep. 23, 2017
by lilc

Based on your reading of this book, what piecs of advice would you give to someone younger than you, a peer, and someone older?

2

Sep. 24, 2017
by juliep

Dr. Gawande suggests we aren't taking advantage of the opportunity to make the experience of aging better. In what ways could we improve aging in our daily lives and as a culture?

5

Sep. 26, 2017
by janp

What can be learned from the medical treatment choices that were made in the final days of Sara Monopoli's life?

7

Oct. 04, 2017
by charleneds

How do we strike a balance between our fear of dying and our hope for a long, healthy life, while still confronting reality?

11

Oct. 04, 2017
by marianned

What did you discover about the physiology of aging? What is your attitude toward aging?

7

Oct. 09, 2017
by kbschaffer

What activities might you envision doing that would bring you fulfillment in your retirement when you might face some physical limitations?

12

Oct. 11, 2017
by Sooz

As you consider the life you want lead in old age, what does home mean to you?

20

Oct. 11, 2017
by karenj

Did you read Alice Hobson's story as an inspiring one, or as a cautionary tale?

5

Oct. 16, 2017
by paulagb

"It is not death that the very old tell me they fear. It is what happens short of death," In what ways do you relate to that fear or not? What do you fear most about what happens short of death?

15

Oct. 18, 2017
by Jan Mays

What are your feelings about hospice care? When is the appropriate time to introduce hospice in the treatment of those with life-threatening illness?

15

Oct. 25, 2017
by Sooz

What came to your mind when Bill Thomas outlined the Three Plagues of nursing home existence: boredom, loneliness, and helplessness? What do you think matters most when you envision eldercare?

14

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

If you had to make a choice for a loved one between ICU and hospice, what would you most want to know from them? What would you be willing to endure and what would you not be willing to endure for the possibility of more time?

11

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

Have you ever seen anyone die or been with someone in the final stages of life? Can you describe that experience? How did the experience affect your wishes for the end of your own life?

17

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

What does it mean to you to treat someone with serious illness as a person and not a patient?

11

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

As Dr. Gawande learns the limitations of being Dr. Informative, how did your perception of doctors and what you want from them change? What would you want from your doctor if you faced a serious illness?

10

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

Why do you think it's so difficult for doctors and/or families to refuse or curtail treatment? How should priorities be set?

14

Nov. 07, 2017
by scottishrose

What are your thoughts about assisted suicide?

13

Nov. 08, 2017
by josellek

In chapter 8, Dr. Gawande describes the choices made by his daughter's piano teacher, Peg Bachelder. If you were facing similar circumstances, what would your good day look like?

10

Nov. 08, 2017
by juliep

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