An Alzheimer's story

Description

This documentary provides the rare opportunity of following a family with an Alzheimer s victim for two years. When we first meet the Jasper family, it is apparent that Anna has difficulty remembering. Her husband, Jack, is horrified to learn that she has Alzheimer s disease. As she declines, Jack and his daughter Zena are faced with the agonizing task of putting Anna into a nursing home. The story is told without narration. Its power and poignancy lie in the succession of images - the beautiful and strong woman she was and the pathetic nursing home resident she became. At the beginning of the filming the daughter says to her mother, "I love you," and Anna answers with a smile and a kiss. By the end, when her daughter says, "I love you," Anna no longer responds. What gives this documentary its special quality is the intimate relationship established between the filmmakers and the family. The Jaspers open their hearts to us, and we share this painful episode of their lives.

Runtime

28 min

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

1987

Database

Alexander Street

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