Bill Moyers: On Our Own Terms

Watch Bill Moyers: On Our Own Terms

  • 2000
  • 1 Season

Bill Moyers: On Our Own Terms is a PBS documentary series that explores the complex and often controversial issues surrounding death and dying in America. Hosted by veteran journalist Bill Moyers, the show delves into the personal stories and experiences of people facing the end of their lives, as well as the doctors, nurses, caregivers, and policymakers who help them navigate this difficult journey.

Over the course of four episodes, Moyers tackles a range of topics related to end-of-life care, from hospice and palliative care to physician-assisted suicide and the right to die. Through interviews with experts in the field, as well as candid conversations with patients and their families, the series challenges viewers to consider their own beliefs and values around death and dying, and to think critically about the choices facing us all at the end of life.

In the first episode, "Living with Dying," Moyers introduces viewers to the concept of palliative care, a type of medical care focused on relieving pain and providing comfort to seriously ill patients. The show follows several patients and their families as they navigate this new form of care, often challenging their previous beliefs and fears around death. Moyers also interviews Dr. Ira Byock, a leading expert in palliative care, who offers insights into how medical professionals can better support their patients at this crucial time.

The second episode, "Choosing Care," explores the difficult decisions facing patients and their families as they navigate the complex healthcare system. Moyers profiles several people with chronic illnesses who must weigh the benefits and risks of treatment options, while also grappling with the financial and emotional costs of healthcare. The episode also examines the role of healthcare providers in guiding patients through these decisions, and includes interviews with several doctors and nurses who strive to provide compassionate care to their patients.

In "A Death of One's Own," the third episode, Moyers explores the controversial issue of physician-assisted suicide, and the right of terminally ill patients to end their own lives. The show profiles several people with serious illnesses who have chosen this option, as well as advocates and opponents of the practice. Moyers also interviews Dr. Timothy Quill, a physician who made headlines in 1991 when he wrote about helping one of his patients end her life, and who continues to advocate for the right to die with dignity.

Finally, in "A Time to Change," the fourth and final episode, Moyers focuses on the need for systemic change in the way we approach end-of-life care in America. The show profiles several innovative programs and organizations that are working to improve the quality of care for seriously ill patients, including a hospice program that provides care for homeless people, and a nonprofit that helps families record and preserve the stories of their dying loved ones. Moyers also interviews experts in healthcare policy, who discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare system as our population ages.

Bill Moyers: On Our Own Terms is a powerful and thought-provoking series that raises important questions about a topic that touches us all. As Moyers himself says, "How we die is as important as how we live." Through intimate and moving stories, the show encourages viewers to confront their own assumptions and beliefs, and to consider how we can all work to improve the dying experience for ourselves and our loved ones.

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Seasons
A Time to Change
4. A Time to Change
September 13, 2000
The Balm of Gilead project puts the comfort and care of a hospice into a hospital setting, providing dignified, loving treatment for indigent patients. There, the caregivers help find financial resources for the uninsured and support family members.
A Death of One's Own
3. A Death of One's Own
September 12, 2000
This episode turns an eye to the caregivers, both professional and personal, as they weigh a terminal person's wishes against their own beliefs and responsibilities. Moyers also converses with patients who wish to hasten death to reduce their suffering.
A Different Kind of Care
2. A Different Kind of Care
September 11, 2000
Our cultural attitudes towards suffering are sometimes used as a rationale to withhold medications--attitudes that palliative-care physicians hope to change in order to make dying less frightening and less painful.
Living with Dying
1. Living with Dying
September 10, 2000
A pediatrician becomes a patient. A sufferer of Lou Gehrig's disease, communicating her treatment wishes through eye movements. Through frank interviews, Moyers exposes the complicated forces behind choices about death.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    September 10, 2000