Last week I wrote a post about the benefits of life stories and communicating with Alzheimer’s patients. Stephen Evans, a colleague of mine in the Association of Personal Historians, reminded me of a movie released in 2004 that deals with the subject of reminiscence and Alzheimer’s. It’s called The Notebook, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. You can read Roger Ebert’s review of the film here.
The movie is a sweet and somewhat idealistic portrayal of dementia. But it does convey the power of personal stories to make a positive difference in the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s. If you haven’t seen The Notebook I would certainly recommend you take a look. Check out the trailer below.
I’ve seen the movie and thought of that immediately when I read the post about life stories and dementia patients the other day. It was a sweet, but kind of sad/scary story at the same time.
@Digital Dame. Thanks for your comments. Knowing a number of people who’ve had Alzheimer’s, I can tell you it’s very sad and at times very scary.
I saw the movie soon after Mom was diagnosed. Dad had been diagnosed years earlier.
The movie -didn’t- make me cry.
I have thought about that story every single day since.
It makes me cry.
Sometimes there’s too much strength in the machine the caregiver embodies… tears help free up the ‘moving’ parts.
@nauri. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post. Your words are so true and poignant. I did a documentary series on the work of caregivers and I have the greatest respect and admiration for them. They are truly unsung heroes as are you.
Regards,
Dan