My support group facilitator forwarded an email with the following video. It was rated the best short video of 2007 on YouTube. She recommends that we forward it to as many people as possible.
I think she's supposed to be 13. Maybe I'll make my 15 yo kid watch it. Maybe he'll be inspired to be as pulled together and competent as Lisa in the video.(maybe not!)
I just watched the video. I am going to put the link on the front page of the website - very powerful. How heartbreaking for a child to have to go through this.
I have to say, this young girl does a great job. My son who will be 16 in April is more like her than my daughter. Although he gets mad, impatient, embarrassed, and is sometimes condescending toward his Dad, he is also the helpful one, (picks up the pieces, so-to-speak, looks out for him). My daughter who is 17 isn't able to deal compassionately "to his face." She has dramatically distanced herself from her Dad. She doesn't even talk about Dad having AD without being angry. Counselling helps, but........ (do understand that she has a history of emotional problems, and the emotional level of about an 8 year old. She is trying so hard though to grow up on the inside).
One day recently she suddenly opened herself up and her inner feelings fell right out like water through a breaking dam. Recently, as I was cooking supper, her Dad passed through the kitchen and said something to her while passing by, and she turns away from facing him. Then out of her mouth comes the words, "I WISH HE JUST WOULDN'T TALK TO ME. I HATE IT BECAUSE I CAN'T LOOK IN HIS EYES." as I looked over to her she continued, "IT MAKES ME TOO SAD. I TRY TO LOOK AT HIM, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HIM. IT'S LIKE HE ISN'T IN THERE."
The mother in the video is so much like my DH. I'm questioning if it would be helpful or not for my daughter to watch that.
Wow! I just watched this and sent the link to my 5 children. I have a 17 y.o. still at home. Currently my husband is at the VA nursing home unit for his "respite" stay of one week, but they are keeping him one week longer for observation, evaluation, and probable placement.
This is a hard video to watch but so true to life. I would never ordinarily watch You Tube! I have sent the link to our support group leader also. Hopefully this will spread some awareness to teenagers.
What a powerful video. My heart goes out to all who are dealilng with EOAD. My husband is 83 and his brother, also with AD, is 85. This is the time of life it is much more prevalent. I just can't imagine being a child and losing a parent this way...
Keep in mind that this film is a fictionalized account. The child and the mom are actors, and the script was created by the filmmaker based on college research he did in the field of Alzheimer's. He is someone who wants to make feature films, but is starting small (where a niche is available, youtube!...the new frontier.) This does not, in my opinion, lessen the value of the film. It's a good depiction.
Wow! This was wonderful. I became tearful while watching it because Lisa reminded me of my 7 year old. I just kept thinking that she may be around the same age when her dad gets to that point. I feel so sad that this may be her reality someday.