Alzheimer's Disease Documentaries - Movie Review Essay Sample

Caregivers Documentary

The documentary shows a collection of five portraits that tend to illustrate the different stages of Alzheimer disease. Each of the caregivers shows their sacrifices, struggles as well as successes that they experienced when taking care of their loved ones. The caregivers also remember the extraordinary lives that the loved ones led. Chuck cares for his mother until death, and throughout the documentary, he discusses the rare genetic mutation that led to the death of 12 out of the total 14 children belonging to his mother as a result of Alzheimer. Marianne cares for Chuck since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer in 2004 and he tries to cope with the condition (Caregivers 2009). Chuck seems to appear healthy though he says that he is embarrassed that he slipped into dementia. However, Marianne says that they try their best to live in the moment though Jack says that there is nothing beautiful going on around him.

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Mike takes care of Nacho who is his father when he was diagnosed with the disease. Mike takes Nacho to his home sacrificing his health, and he ended up losing his girlfriend. However, the condition of the father continues to worsen, and Mike is not able to care for Nacho all alone and so he gets him admitted at the nursing home. Mike gathers his siblings where they meet regularly to discuss the challenges that are as a result of the disruptive sleep patterns their father causes (Caregivers 2009). Mike uses in-home caregiving method but later decides that there is a need for a nursing care home. Marianne cares for Chuck using the assisted living method where she generally takes care of her husband.

Memory Loss Tapes Documentary

The documentary presents the viewers with the perspective of individuals diagnosed with the AD. Each segment in the documentary shows different people in varying stages of the disease starting with Bessie who is in the early stages and ending will the death of Cliff as a result of the complications (The memory loss tapes 2009). The documentary shows Joe's blog part which had been living with the AD for two years now. He states that he was a computer genius before developing the condition and that he helped companies grow to become the largest in the world. However, right now things have changed for him such that he cannot even get out of his home because he may not be able to find his way back. He tells his wife and the kids that when the condition is worse, they should let him go in peace.

Joe feels that he is soon going to reach a point where he would end his life, and he also buys a wooden box and shows it to his family (The memory loss tapes 2009). The comment by Joe is very personal, and it is similar to the wishes of Cliff who is in his last stages of the disease. Cliff does not want his life to be prolonged by artificial means. I would agree to Joe's opinion because it psychologically prepares the family.

Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? With Marian Shriver's Documentary

The lessons learned from this documentary include that sometimes it is the disease talking. A segment of the documentary describes an incidence when the grandmother is growling at the grandchild telling them to go home (Grandpa, do you know who I am? With Maria Shriver 2009). The grandchild seems unhappy about the behavior of the grandmother, but the older sister comforts her reminding her that she should understand that her grandmother is ill and she does not know what she is doing. The incident is to show that it is the disease talking.

The documentary also teaches that one can be the keeper of memories. Throughout the film, it is observed that the grandchildren take great care of their grandparents such as helping them to eat though it is painful to watch these loved ones' conditions continue to deteriorate. They will certainly remember these memories when the grandparents are gone. These two lessons mentioned above are displayed in most of the segments of the documentary and one can notice them through behaviors shown by the grandparents. Maria Shriver displays these lessons well.

Momentum in Science Parts 1 And 2 Documentary

The documentary discusses the autopsy which is bringing the brain tissue to research. The part describes how groundbreaking advances in brain imaging is allowing the scientists are researchers to peer into the living brain to see changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease (Momentum in science, parts 1 and 2 2009). The piece also discusses healthy aging where it states that one has to exercise and maintain healthy blood pressure, good levels of cholesterol and blood which contribute primarily to long and healthy cognitive life.

Momentum in science discusses the codes that start the disease stating that it develops from the interaction of multiple factors in a couple of years (Momentum in science, parts 1 and 2 2009). The scientists have discovered intriguing links to heart disease and diabetes stating the importance of exercise which has positive effects on brain health. The four chapters of the autopsy, exercising, healthy aging and the codes that start the disease are easy topics to identify from the documentary.

Works cited

Grandpa, do you know who I am? With Maria Shriver [Video file]. (2009). Retrieved October 20, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=274023&xtid=40544

Momentum in science, parts 1 and 2 [Video file]. (2009). Retrieved October 20, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=274023&xtid=40545

Caregivers [Video file]. (2009). Retrieved October 20, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=274023&xtid=40546

The memory loss tapes [Video file]. (2009). Retrieved October 20, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=274023&xtid=40543