Video Vignettes of Real Patients & Caregivers
The Living Library consists of short videos that combine first-person narratives with multimedia (images, music, narration, animation).
The stories of patients, caregivers and community members illustrate important topics such as health care ethics, professionalism, communication, palliative and end of life care, stigma, patient-centered care and more.
Some of the people featured in the Living Library are willing to meet with students or come to classes to talk about their experiences in person.
Living Library videos are available for educational use in UBC’s learning management system.
Students, faculty and staff can self-enroll to check out a Living Library ‘book’ using their campus-wide login
Go to the Living Library to see more Videos »
Living Library Catalogue
Eve: Dying with Dignity
Eve has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: end of life, assisted death, advanced directives
Donna: Caring to the End
Topics: end of life, ALS, PLS, caregiver, palliative, quality of life
Jory & Robin: A Journey with Alzheimer’s Disease
Jory has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2012.
Topics: caregiving, advocacy, resiliency, family-centred care, palliative and end-of-life care
Jory is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Her and Her Healthcare: A Look into the Relationship between Healthcare and Teen Girls
Justice for Girls (2019 Recipient of the R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award)
Topics: intersectionality, relationship, teen girls
Thom: History Matters
Thom has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2018.
Topics: mental health, relationship, more than medical history, building trust, vulnerability
Thom is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Daryl: An Experience with Assumptions
Daryl has been a UBC Health Patient & Community Advisory Committee member since 2017.
Daryl recounts a negative interaction with a health professional due to stereotypes.
Topics: stigma, communication, professionalism
Daryl is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Karen: The Journey to Acceptance
UBC Health Mentor since 2018
Topics: Cerebral palsy, stigma and stereotypes, communication, empathy
Karen narrates her experiences in coming to terms with having cerebral palsy and provides examples of the everyday stigma that comes with the condition.
Kristie: Maybe I’m More Healthy than I Realized
Kristie has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: resilience, grief, loss
Donna: Caring to the End
Topics: end of life, ALS, PLS, caregiver, palliative, quality of life
Marge and Eric: Collaborative Healthcare with Families
Marge and Eric have been UBC Health Mentors since 2012.
Topics: communication, collaborative care, family-centred care, advocacy, neurological disability, neurodiversity
Al: A Journey of Living Positive
Al has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: medication side effects, mental health, advocacy, stigma
Al is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Jory & Robin: A Journey with Alzheimer’s Disease
Jory has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2012.
Topics: caregiving, advocacy, resiliency, family-centred care, palliative and end-of-life care
Jory is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Jon: Arthritis and Painful Feet
Topics: physical therapy, kinesiologists and biomechanics, collaborative patient-centered care and shared decision making
Jon is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Darren: And Then You Get a Diagnosis That Changes Your World
Darren has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2012.
Topics: communication, resiliency, HIV, patient-centered care
Darren is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Marge and Eric: Collaborative Healthcare with Families
Marge and Eric have been UBC Health Mentors since 2012.
Topics: communication, collaborative care, family-centred care, advocacy, neurological disability, neurodiversity
Mandy & Sophie: A Caregiver’s Journey (video 2)
Topics: health care dream team, patient-centred care
Jon: Arthritis and Painful Feet
Topics: physical therapy, kinesiologists and biomechanics, collaborative patient-centered care and shared decision making
Jon is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Michael: Anything is Possible
Topics: Physical therapy, kinesiologists and biomechanics, collaborative patient-centered care, brain injury
Kristie: What and Why
Kristie has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: communication, relationship, patient-centred care
Thom: History Matters
Thom has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2018.
Topics: mental health, relationship, more than medical history, building trust, vulnerability
Thom is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Mandy & Sophie: A Caregiver’s Journey (video 1)
Mandy has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: ethics, professionalism, communication, collaborative care, caregiving, rare diseases, breaking bad news
Mandy is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Al on being HIV+: What needs to be said?
Al has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2014.
Topics: ethics, communication, patient safety
Al is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Darren: The Journey to Disclosure
Darren has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2012.
Topics: communication, ethics, breaking bad news, criminalization, empathy
Darren is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Paul: Advice for Healthcare Providers
Topics: HIV, communication, patient-centered care, building trust
Paul is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Vikram: Being Honest
Topics: Stroke, cancer, communication
Her and Her Healthcare: A Look into the Relationship between Healthcare and Teen Girls
Justice for Girls (2019 Recipient of the R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award)
Topics: intersectionality, relationship, teen girls
Chris: Mobility Matters
Chris has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2011.
Topics: disability, transportation, mobility, independence, wheelchair demonstration
Chris is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Rob: A Journey of Hope & Aphasia
Rob has been a UBC Health Mentor since 2012.
Topics: communication, patient-centred care, breaking bad news
Rob is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Mario & Lynn: Different Journeys with Dementia
Mario and Lynn have been UBC Health Mentors since 2016.
Topics: communication, advocacy, brain health, community resources and peer support
Mario & Lynn are available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Maxine: A Journey with Hearing Loss
Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility, Audiometric Technician
Topics: communication, health and technology
Maxine is available to:
- Speak in classrooms
- Meet with students
Alexandra: Life is like a Speeding Train
Topics: Amputation, resiliency, and internal motivation
Deb: I’m Just Trying to Keep My Kid Alive
Moms Stop the Harm (Former Director)
Topics: substance use, resiliency, mental health, communication