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ASA Media Festival Curator Picks
Top Five Films on Aging
For 21 years, G. Jay Westbrook, clinical director of Compassionate Journey, an end-of-life education and consulting service in West Van Nuys, Calif., has curated the Media Festival at ASA's annual conference. Every year, he screens dozens of shorts and features to select a program of documentaries and training videos that will meet the needs of professionals in aging. We asked Westbrook to list his favorites from recent years; following are his top five picks and his comments on why they made the list.
1. And Thou Shalt Honor (produced by Harry Wiland & Dale Bell; Aquarius Health Care Videos, 2002; two-part video, 2 hours). First presented on PBS, this program offers an impressive blend of useful information about caregiving and end-of-life issues, along with poignant -- and diverse -- portrayals of individuals dealing with these concerns. It was a landmark production: Prime-time network television finally looked in-depth at an experience that touches millions of Americans.
2. At a Loss for Words: How to Help Those You Care for in a Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Newborn Death Experience (Paraclete Video Productions, 1997; video, 30 mins.). When a miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death occurs, many of us want to reach out, but few know what to say. Grandparents have a double burden -- the devastating loss of a grandchild and their grief over the adult children whom they feel impotent to help. A powerful, moving and accurate film, At a Loss for Words features people sharing their experiences with the loss of a child or grandchild.
3. Maggie Growls (directed by Barbara Attie & Janet Goldwater; Women Make Movies, 2002; video, 57 mins.). Maggie Kuhn, founder and former leader of the Gray Panthers, was a pioneer in aging advocacy. Celebrating her life and work, this wonderful documentary offers a great springboard for discussion among elders and students of all ages.
4. Women Like Us (directed by Suzanne Neild & Rosalind Pearson, 1990; video, 49 mins.); Women Like That (1991; video, 25 mins.). In Women Like Us, 16 British lesbians ages 50 to 80 tell about their lives. In Women Like That, eight of the original subjects discuss how their lives -- and their communities -- changed after the first film was broadcast on the BBC. The two films offer an engaging, intimate portrait of lesbian elders who have lived from an era when secrecy was required into a time when openness is possible. (These videos are no longer in distribution commercially, but are available in the collections of a number of libraries; check with the interlibrary loan staff at your local library to locate copies.)
5. Communicating With Moderately Confused Older Adults / Communicating With Severely Confused Older Adults (Terra Nova Films, 1997; two 20-minute videos). Few situations are more frustrating than caring for a family member with progressing dementia. This wonderful set of films gives caregivers specific instructions on creative, empowering ways to communicate with their loved one during different stages of the disease. Such skills can change the quality of life for both those who give care and those who receive it.
