Watch Over Me: Community Review

Created by:
Manuel Munoz - Putnam Valley, NY

The house that Martha bought some 50 years ago is full of people. The film Grandmother Granddaughter is a snapshot of Martha’s last days as she lives them out with her granddaugher and primary caregiver, Maria. They are surrounded by great-grandchildren, some who live there and others who visit from time to time. For the past 14 years, when the first Parkinson’s symptoms were diagnosed the disease has steadily worn away Martha’s body but not her spirit. Her decision to remain in her home rather than be institutionalized was based on the quality of life she wanted and which her family was willing to give.

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Created by:
Carol Bradley Bursack - N. Fargo, ND

From the creator: I spent two decades caring for seven elders. I'm an author, speaker, columnist and blogger on the subject of elder care. My short is about my issues with the terms "role reversal" and "parenting your parents." I feel those terms devalue the legacy of the elder.

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Created by:
Kelly Lawman - Jamaica Plain, MA

Every Tuesday my eighteen-month old daughter and I take a music class together. Last fall we switched from our kids only class to a class that is part of the Rogerson House day program for elders in early and mid-stage Alzheimer’s and other dementia. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the idea at first. I didn’t have much experience with dementia and didn’t know how my daughter would react.

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Created by:
Kirsten Leenaars - Chicago, IL

”Interlude” is an intimate and poetic portrait of the artist’s ninety-two year old grandmother, who is slowly beginning to loose grip on time, drifting from one world into another. This dreamy study is captured through snapshots of her daily routines both outside and in the hidden world of her home. It captures the caring hands of the mother's artist as markers within the timeless space she visits every day.

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Created by:
Michael Pfaendtner - Macomb, MI

At age 91, Mary Mitchell is still able to maintain her independence, continuing to live in her home in Farmington Michigan thanks to the help she receives from her three sons. The three brothers all live within a five-mile radius from Mary, making their daily visits to check up on their mother and help with meal preparation convenient. Taking an upbeat and playful approach, Mary’s Boys combines interviews with Jim, Ken and Tom Mitchell and accompanying footage as they explain how their care-giving responsibilities have evolved over the past year.

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Created by:
C. Jacqueline Wood - Chicago, IL

A brief glimpse into the relationship that I have with my nana. Last year, I moved home for one year after graduating from college in order to help take care of her. I served as a full-time domestic caretaker, responsible for meals, shopping, cleaning the house, bathing her, and other daily tasks. Although Nana is bound to a wheelchair due to arthritis, her primary obstacle involves dementia. I have witnessed her mental decline, especially working with her consistently over the course of last year. She remains happy and light-hearted, but constantly asks the same questions, forgetting names and various facts as well as fabricating stories.

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Created by:
Robert Griegoliet - Villa Park, IL

From the creator: In the last week before my Grandfather went into an Alzheimer's care facility after 10 years of home care, I made this short documentary. It was designed to highlight the symptoms of this disease in a touching way.

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Created by:
Kirsten Leenaars - Chicago, IL

Proposals for a Love Letter is close up and personal depiction of the artist's mothers' relationship with her elderly mother. (The artist's grandmother). It depicts the role reversal of mother and daughter. Now the daughter takes care of the person who once took care of her. Proposals for a Love Letter is foremost a tribute to the human touch in a world where most of our communications are mediated and where there is little time for much craved personal connections.

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Created by:
Orlantha Coleman - Bakersfield, CA

This story is about a daughter named Josephine Triplett that caregives for her recently turned 100-year-old mom Gemelia Herring. This family is unique as they are descendants of the first African-American township named Allensworth. The care recipient just celebrated her 100th birthday along with the town.

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Created by:
Mary Scarbrough - Fort Wayne, IN

The story of Diana and Carrie is one like many in the nation; a daughter taking care of an aging parent. What makes their story unique is that it is an inspiring yet simple story of faith, patience and respect.

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Created by:
Michael Reed - San Francisco, CA

From the creator: Short film written and shot in 6 hours as practice for film race. Subject is close to me since my sister drives my father's former car and every time he rides in he asks when we can take him to the DMV to get his license. The family and I also talked about me moving in with him after my stepmother passed away. We finally decide he needed to go into an assisted living home. He is relatively happy, though he complains about the food.

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