Caring for aging parents is one of those uncomfortable topics that's often left on the backburner until a crisis requires immediate attention. Considering both skyrocketing healthcare costs and the rising senior population (in 20 years, it's estimated that 14 million Americans will require long-term hospitalization and/or constant medical treatment), the subject of caring for the elderly will inevitably reach a level of private and public discourse well beyond the mere cost of prescription drugs. This helpful hour-long video follows several elderly patients and their primary caregivers, illustrating a variety of issues confronting families faced with the added burden of caring for an aged loved one. In three separate cases, daughters meet the life-altering challenge of providing long-term healthcare for an elderly parent in her home. One daughter's mother suffers from pain, dementia, and chronic depression; another mother suffers from an advanced case of Alzheimer's disease; while the third daughter moves almost immediately from caring for her mother, who died of breast cancer, to caring for her father. Additionally, the viewer accompanies a certified nurse's aide on her rounds to the handful of elderly patients for whom she provides in-home care, companionship, and housekeeping--all for a woefully underfunded $7.99 per hour. Interviews with doctors, psychiatrists, and other healthcare service personnel round out this important wake-up call concerning the serious challenges we will be facing during the coming years in the area of geriatric healthcare. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantú)
Growing Up & Growing Old: Caring for Our Parents
(2001) 56 min. VHS: $199. Fanlight Productions. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-57295-365-9. Volume 18, Issue 4
Growing Up & Growing Old: Caring for Our Parents
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: