SOMERVILLE - Somerset Medical Center is presenting a free, four-part film and discussion series in conjunction with the Bill Moyers PBS television series, On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying, which aired September 10-13.

The four-part series, sponsored by the medical center�s Hospice Program, will expand on issues raised in the Moyers production and provide helpful additional information. Each program will feature an excerpt from the Moyers series, discussion by speakers and panelists from the medical center and community, and opportunity for the audience to ask questions in an atmosphere that encourages dialogue.

Each of the following programs will be held from 7-9 p.m.:

September 27 - Hospice � Self-care for the Caregiver - Guest speakers: Kathleen Toomey, MD; Charlett Toris, RN; and Mary Lou Daley, LCSW. Fuld Auditorium.

October 5 - Pain Management � Talking with Your Doctor - Guest speakers: Jovenia Celo, MD; Carol Goldstein, RN; and Katen Moore, RN. Conference Rooms A&B.

October 10 - Hard Choices � How to Talk About End-of-life Concerns � Advance Directives - Guest speakers: Steven Young, MD; Dale Blackburn, RN; and Rev. Cindy Strickler. Conference Rooms C&D.

October 17 - Diversity in Dying � Grief � Spiritual Care - Guest speakers: Hen-Vai Wu, MD, and Anne Gray, RN. Fuld Auditorium.

�Health-related programs by Bill Moyers have always been excellent,� says Dolly Mikrut, RN, nurse manager, Hospice/Home Care at Somerset Medical Center. �Our series is an opportunity for people in the community to not only view the programs, but to become informed about resources and support that are available to help each individual experience dignity and peace at the end of life.�

According to Mikrut, there is a tremendous need in the community for help in coping with death.

�More people are dying at home than in the past,� she observes, a trend she attributes both to managed care and to individual preference. �As a result, the need for information is growing. We find that many people who have not participated in our Hospice Program attend our bereavement groups. They are seeking information and support during and following the death of their loved ones.�

Mikrut notes that at its inception in 1982, the medical center�s Hospice Program was the first of its kind in central New Jersey. Today, 36 trained volunteers under direction of the medical center�s Hospice staff provide care to terminally ill patients in their home and nursing home settings, assisting them and their families in many ways.

�The Hospice volunteers do everything from providing respite care for the caregiver to writing letters, paying bills, picking up groceries and in general providing emotional and practical support in response to the needs of the individual patient and caregiver,� Mikrut explains. In addition to following the traditional medical model, Hospice volunteers now also provide complementary services, such as therapeutic touch.

�We want to encourage people to attend this free series and begin to feel comfortable talking about death and dying,� Mikrut concludes. �We also want to offer reassurance that pain control, education and support are available to patients as they make decisions about how they will spend the time remaining in their life.�

To register, please call the Somerset Medical Center Hospice Program at 908-685-2972.