Educational Media Reviews Online

Many have witnessed the sad decline of a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and many more are destined to experience this disease firsthand in their families or even themselves as the elderly population grows. Still, the proliferation of assisted living facilities is itself a testament to our desire to avoid seeing the daily struggles of aging individuals whose sense and memories are gradually failing. This documentary rips off those self-imposed blinders, albeit with a peculiar charm. That charm resides mainly in the person of one Lee Gorewitz, the lively resident of a California Alzheimer’s assisted living unit. Presented almost entirely from the viewpoint of Ms. Gorewitz within the present confines of the locked-in nursing home unit, we are only provided peripheral clues to her life prior to this time. However, those glimpses of family photos and her personality, apparently undiminished by the disease, are enough – Ms. Gorewitz was and is undoubtedly what is known as a “pistol.” Not that her confusion and restlessness, even her occasional grief, are not noticeable. Still, she laughs and even dances quite often, proving perhaps that joy is there in almost any situation if we choose to see it. This film would make a thought-provoking addition to any college or graduate level gerontology or sociology class. Even teenagers with aging grandparents might appreciate the dialogue sparked by the film. Highly recommended.