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Seniors (11)
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Caregivers - Episode One: Madeleine and RoseDan Curtis 1997 49 minMeet Madeleine Fergus. Like all of the heroes in the Caregivers series, she is an ordinary person with extraordinary heart. For the last five years, Madeleine's life has been consumed by caring for her partially paralyzed mother, Rose. Madeleine took early retirement in order to care for Rose full-time. It's a job with long hours and little recognition. Yet despite the hardship and frustration, she finds caring for her mother naturally rewarding. When we first meet Rose in April, she is full of mischief. Although she is confined to a wheelchair, she likes to sing, go out, and get her hair done. By December, Rose is still able to help Madeleine decorate the Christmas tree. However, after battling a series of infections over the next six months, Rose deteriorates into total dependency. Madeleine, who makes do on two small pensions, must now seek more help from a system which can be difficult to access. Produced with the help of individual caregivers and community agencies, this is a "how-to" series with soul. Shot over the course of a year, these five episodes immerse you in the joys and sorrows of providing care. The caregivers featured in the series are honest and open about their feelings--and their eloquent insights offer an assessment of our health-care system's strengths and weaknesses. To Madeleine, Rose is not only her mother but her best friend. When Rose dies, Madeleine's heart is broken but her spirit isn't. She knows she has no choice but to go on. As she says, "You've got to float with the tide." -
Caregivers - Episode Five: Paul and JeanDan Curtis 1997 50 minSometimes Paul Oliver has to laugh to keep from crying. He's placed his mother, Jean, in a nursing home that cares for Alzheimer's patients. With bewildered fellow residents constantly interrupting and Jean's own erratic behaviour, Paul finds it hard to have a quiet moment with his mother. Yet he knows that his company and attention are vital to her.
Like all of the heroes in the Caregivers series, Paul is doing his best. Although he works full-time and lives an hour away, he still visits twice a week. Jean does not like the nursing home and she is often depressed. Her anger is vented on anyone near, including Paul. At other times Jean can be lucid and make Paul laugh with her sharp comments about fellow residents.
Produced with the help of individual caregivers and community agencies, this is a 'how-to' series with soul. Shot over the course of a year, these five episodes immerse you in the joys and sorrows of providing care. The caregivers featured in the series are honest and open about their feelings--and their eloquent insights offer an assessment of our health-care system's strengths and weaknesses.
What Paul finds most difficult is his mother's increasing memory loss. He's aware that, in time, she won't remember him at all, and he's determined to make the most of his visits. As Paul says, 'I try to make her laugh. I try to make whatever length of time she has left enjoyable.' -
Caregivers - Episode Three: Kurt and ElizabethDan Curtis 1997 49 minThe strain of caring for his mother shows in the face of Kurt Weitz. He's alone, with no family available to help him provide the constant supervision she requires. Elizabeth, 88, suffers from a variety of illnesses, including Alzheimer's. Her dementia drains Kurt of all his energy. Even ordinary housework seems overwhelming.
However, like all of the heroes in the Caregivers series, Kurt carries on. Just before Kurt's father died, he left his son simple instructions: "Take care of mum." For eight years, Kurt has been doing his best to respect his father's whishes--but as Elizabeth only gets worse, he clearly needs some relief.
Produced with the help of individual caregivers and community agencies, this is a "how-to" series with soul. Shot over the course of a year, these five episodes immerse you in the joys and sorrows of providing care. The caregivers featured in the series are honest and open about their feelings--and their eloquent insights offer an assessment of our health-care system's strengths and weaknesses.
Elizabeth cared for Kurt most of his life, and this son's love for his mother is obvious. Yet when Elizabeth dies, he admits to a strong sense of freedom. Kurt's mixed feelings are in fact common to everyone who faces the emotional challenges of caregiving. As he says, "I hate to say it, but the relief off my shoulders is just tremendous." -
Caregivers - Episode Two: Doris and TomDan Curtis 1997 50 minIn 1942, Doris and Tom Homewood vowed to honour each other in sickness and in health. Today, 54 years later, Doris is determined to keep the man she loves by her side. Doris insists on caring for Tom at home even though a massive stroke has left him unable to walk or speak. Despite her 78 years, she displays remarkable strength in feeding, bathing and transporting her husband from bed to wheelchair and back.
Doris has learned to accept the isolation that Tom's silence brings. However, like all of the heroes in the Caregivers series, she is still a vibrant person. Never away from Tom for more than an hour, she goes for walks, helps her daughter with the farm work, and feeds the horses.
Produced with the help of individual caregivers and community agencies, this is a 'how-to' series with soul. Shot over the course of a year, these five episodes immerse you in the joys and sorrows of providing care. The caregivers featured in the series are honest and open about their feelings--and their eloquent insights offer an assessment of our health-care system's strengths and weaknesses.
After a bout with pneumonia, Tom dies in hospital and Doris is left to cope with her loss. As she says, 'I guess it just takes time... but I'll get a hold. And I'll get there.' -
Caregivers - Episode Four: Pat and MollyDan Curtis 1997 49 minWhen she was a student nurse, Pat Tucker received training in bedside care. Today, she puts those skills to good use in caring for her mother. Molly, 95, is confined to her bed for most of the day and requires round-the-clock attention. Like all of the heroes in the Caregivers series, Pat offers loving and conscientious care. Despite her nursing experience, she nevertheless feels exhausted by the incredible demands of looking after Molly.
Pat acknowledges the support of her family--especially her husband; she knows that without their help, she would be hard-pressed to carry on. At Molly's 95th birthday party, we see just how important this charming "wee soul" is to all the people who love her. Even if she's too frail to blow out the candles, Molly is still the link that keeps this family together.
Produced with the help of individual caregivers and community agencies across Canada, this is a "how-to" series with soul. Shot over the course of a year, these five episodes immerse you in the joys and sorrows of providing care. The caregivers featured in the series are honest and open about their feelings--and their eloquent insights offer an assessment of our health-care system's strengths and weaknesses.
When Molly eventually dies, Pat is devastated. But through her tears she is clear about one thing: she would do it all over again. "Memories," she says, "last longer than dreams." -
The Elder ProjectEva Colmers 2010 2 h 11 minThe Elder Project follows seven diverse seniors over two years and records their experiences through a series of short and candid episodic stories. As they face the possibility of increasing frailty and transitioning into more dependent-living scenarios, the elders talk of their concerns and eloquently express their desire to grow older with dignity and some control over their future.
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House CallsIan McLeod 2004 55 minThis award-winning documentary presents Mark Nowaczynski, a physician who photographs the lives of many of his elderly patients. "Who in the world would want to see a bunch of pictures of me? Junk," says Connie, 93. Yet "Dr. Mark" has been photographing her and other patients to raise awareness about the lack of home care in this growing segment of the population. His black-and-white pictures reflect faces that convey fragility and vulnerability but also quiet strength as these seniors struggle to live with dignity.
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Labour of LoveDan Curtis 1998 44 minWalk through almost any neighbourhood, and behind one of those front doors you'll find a family caregiver. The numbers are staggering. Over 25 million North Americans are currently looking after elderly relatives with health problems.
Shot over an entire year, Labour of Love shows the human side of caregiving - the loving bonds, the frustrations and heartaches, the mundane tasks and the constant fatigue.
Labour of Love includes five intimate profiles of caregivers and their families. This special video takes us to the heart of what it means to be a caregiver, offering hope for everyone who is caring for a family member. -
Priory, the Only Home I've GotMark Dolgoy 1978 28 minThe Priory is a public extended-care hospital in Victoria, British Columbia, for people suffering from chronic geriatric illnesses. Treatment is innovative. It is based on the theory that even the ordinary activities of a patient's life contain elements of therapy. The film shows us how patients are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves despite their confinement to wheelchairs.
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Uncle Bob's Hospital VisitJoDee Samuelson 2008 14 minWhen unexpected illness lands Uncle Bob in the hospital, he's transported from his safe and familiar surroundings to a foreign and chaotic new world. As his stay lengthens, his spirits and health decline until his former life is just a distant memory. It takes a special visit from a special visitor to motivate him to get well. This animated short is a charming look at the importance of cheer, hope and love in the healing process.
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You Won't Need Running Shoes, DarlingDorothy Todd Henaut 1996 53 minIn this feature-length documentary, acclaimed filmmaker Dorothy Todd Hénaut chronicles a critical two-year period in the lives of her parents, Mildred and Bob Todd. The Todds, retired octogenarians, live a simple but full life by the river in rural Ontario until a sudden change in their health forces a change in their lives. Their old routine of tending the garden and visiting with friends is replaced by hospital stays and home care. And even though the couple’s tenderness and mutual care soften the reality of diminishing strength, Hénaut’s film reveals a gritty, sensitive look at the human aging process.
