Books
- Touching the Veil
Marita, Cheryl (2022) - The Art of Dying Well: A Practical Guide to a Good End of Life
Butler, Katy (2020) - Final Gifts: Understanding and Helping the Dying
Callanan, Maggie and Kelley, Patricia (1992) - The VSED Handbook: A Practical Guide to Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking
Christie, Kate (2022) - Finish Strong
Coombs Lee, Barbara (2022) - Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Gawande, Atul (2014) - This is Assisted Dying
Green, Stefanie (2022) - At Peace: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life
Harrington, Samuel (2018) - Handbook of Social Justice in Loss and Grief: Exploring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Harris, Darcy L, Bordere, Tashel C. (2016) - When Breath Becomes Air
Kalanithi, Paul (2016) - Death is But a Dream
Kerr, Christopher (2020) - On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy & Their Own Families
Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth (2019, 50th anniversary edition) - The Quality of Life: Living Well, Dying Well
Lembke, Janet (2003) - Healing Into Life and Death
Levine, Stephen (1989) - With the End in Mind: Dying, Death and Wisdom in an Age of Denial
Mannix, Kathryn (2019) - A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death
Miller, B. J., and Shoshana Berger (2020) - Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking: A Compassionate, Widely Available Option for Hastening Death
Quill, Timothy E., et al (2021) - On My Own
Rehm, Diane (2016) - Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
Tisdale, Sallie (2018) - Walking Him Home: Helping My Husband Die with Dignity
Tubbs Kelly, Joanne (2022) - Extreme Measures
Zitter, Jessica (2017)
Feature Films
Blackbird (2019)
A woman arranges one final family meeting with her daughters as she faces end of life. A poignant drama that grapples with terminal illness and family dynamics, fostering a deep appreciation of every moment and the courage to face the inevitable with dignity and love.
Free using your public library card at Kanopy.com, or rent it online
Coco (2017)
Coco, a heartfelt animation, offers a vivid and comforting exploration of life and the afterlife, embracing the enduring power of love that connects us all, even beyond our mortal existence.
Available for rent online
Farewell Party (2015)
An Israeli drama-comedy about a group of friends at a retirement home who build a self-euthanasia machine to help their terminally ill friend, and grapple with the moral and ethical implications of their invention.
Free using your public library card at Kanopy.com, or rent it online
Here A While (2020)
This film follows the story of a terminally ill woman who returns to her estranged family in Oregon to reconcile and seek assistance for death with dignity, under the state’s Death with Dignity Act.
Available for rent online
Marvin's Room (1996)
A drama about two estranged sisters, one of whom has leukemia, who reconcile after many years, exploring themes of family, mortality, and sacrifice in the face of terminal illness.
Available for rent online
Documentaries
Being Mortal (2020)
Dr. Atul Gawande explores death, dying and why doctors struggle to discuss being mortal with patients, in this Emmy-nominated documentary.
Available on YouTube
Defining Hope (2017)
Intimately explores the end of life journey, shedding light on various pathways and decisions, ultimately demonstrating the possibility of a peaceful, dignified, and even hopeful conclusion to the end of life.
Available for rent online
Dying Wish (2007)
This documentary chronicles the final days of a terminally ill doctor who chooses to stop eating and drinking in a deliberate effort to control his own end-of-life process, revealing the resilience and strength inherent in the human spirit even in the face of death.
Available to rent from Vimeo
End Game (2018)
A profound and insightful documentary short that delves into palliative care practices, providing a valuable exploration of how doctors, patients, and families navigate the complex process of dying, an essential resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of end-of-life decisions and care.
Available to rent from Netflix
Extremis (2016)
A documentary that takes an intimate look at the harrowing decisions doctors, patients, and families face in an intensive care unit, with an emphasis on end-of-life care.
Available to rent from Netflix
5 Things You Should Know When Someone is Actively Dying (2021)
Dr. Eric Bush talks about some of the signs that someone is actively dying.
Available on Youtube
How to Die in Oregon (2011)
Apowerful documentary that explores the lives of terminally ill individuals considering death with dignity, presenting an in-depth look at Oregon’s controversial Death with Dignity Act.
Free using your public library card at Kanopy.com, or rent it online
I See Dead People: Dreams & Visions of Dying (2015)
Dr. Christopher W. Kerr is the Chief Medical Officer at The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, where he has worked since 1999. His background in research has evolved from bench science towards the human experience of illness as witnessed from the bedside, specifically patients’ dreams and visions at the end of life. Although medically ignored, these near universal experiences often provide comfort and meaning as well as insight into the life led and the death anticipated.
A TED talk available on YouTube
Making End of Life Care Matter (2018)
End of life care practitioner Deb Wilkes believes we should all take an interest in managing the end of life.
A TED talk available on YouTube
Transforming the Conversation About Death & Dying (2019)
Marian Taylor, a nurse whose specialty has allowed her to journey with many patients to their final moments, discusses the importance of having the difficult conversation about death and dying with your loved ones.
A TED talk available on YouTube
What Really Matters at End of Life (2015)
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it’s simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a palliative care physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.
A TED talk available on YouTube
What to Expect at the End of Life (2018)
End of life care practitioner Deb Wilkes believes we should all take an interest in managing the end of life.
A TED talk available from TED.com
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, and drink the wild air.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson