Aug. 5, 2015 – Studies show 50% of us will be physically unable or unwilling to speak for ourselves in a future critical medical situation. Who will speak for us to ensure that our treatment wishes are honored?

To promote the importance of all adults documenting their medical wishes before a medical crisis, Vintage House senior center and Sonoma Valley Hospital are partnering with My Care, My Plan:  Speak Up Sonoma County to present two community screenings and discussions of the PBS Frontline documentary, Being Mortal in Sonoma. The screenings will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Vintage House, 264 1st St. East, and Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.  at Sebastiani Theatre, 476 1^st St. East. 

Robert Cohen, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Sonoma Valley Hospital, will introduce the film, adapted from the 2014 national best-selling book by Atul Gawande, MD. Facilitators from the countywide advance care planning community initiative, My Care, My Plan: Speak Up, Sonoma County, will lead the post-film discussions and Readers Books will sell Gawande’s book at a discount at both locations. 

 Being Mortal explores the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illness and their relationships with the doctors who care for them. It follows Gawande as he shares stories from people and families he encounters in his work. Their stories affirm that all adults need to plan ahead for medical crises — to reflect on what matters most to us as we think about our wishes for care and talk with loved ones about those wishes.

To also help individuals take action and legally document their treatment wishes, two facilitated workshops on completing an Advanced Health Care Directive form will be held on Thurs., Sept. 24 and Thurs., Oct. 8 both from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., at Vintage House. My Care, My Plan facilitators will be available to help attendees understand how to complete an advance health care directive.

For information about attending the film screenings or workshops, call Vintage House at (707) 996-0311 or Sonoma Valley Hospital at (707) 935-5257.​ This free series of events is being hosted and sponsored by Vintage House and Sonoma Valley Hospital and facilitated by My Care My Plan: Speak Up, Sonoma County.