Part of the show was about a elderly gentleman that had Alzheimer's. He & his wife had been married for 60 years. All their married life he joked about her, in not flattering comments & now with dementia he was even worse. She wanted a divorce, at first she said, it was because she didn't have the money for his care, however, she did finally say she was just worn out from all the years of verbal abuse, putting his needs first & had found someone else that was nice to her & wanted to spend her remaining years with him. She looked worn out & defeated....which I know many of us feel or have felt that way at one time or another. I thought they really portrayed the caregiver's side of Alzheimer's well. Did anyone else watch Harry's Law?
I did. I thought they did a good job of outlining some of the problems that caregiver's face. David Kelly, who produces and writes a lot of TV shows (including this one)deals with Alzheimer's in several of his shows. He must have a relative with Alzheimer's. It dealt with the financial aspect as well as the verbal abuse which she had tolerated from the beginning of their marriage, which had escalated, and now he was wheelchair bound and his memory gone for the most part - the wires would reconnect occasionally. And, she found someone who loved her and wanted a few years of happiness before she died. She did look totally worn out! The way a lot of us are/were. I felt sorry for both of them....
I saw the program also and I could feel the pain the wife was going through. We will be seeing more and more shows dealing with Alzheimer's. Before long everyone will be touched in some way by this disease.
I used to watch Harry's Law all of the time last year. This year it is opposite something else I watch, and I didn't bother recording Harry. I'll watch it Saturday night. I'm always interested in seeing how AD is portrayed on TV.
There is no way AD can be portrayed in its entirety in one show. I am not sure they can do it in a documentary. We take years to get through this scourge. They can only show one facet of the disease. Murphy's Law really zeroed in on the verbal abuse the wife suffered. I am sure she suffered this abuse long before AD entered the picture hence the desire to find some life with another.
Has anyone seen or heard David Cassidy speak out about Alzheimer's? Back in Sept. he was interviewed in a NJ newspaper about his career and current performances in NJ. When asked about his stint on Celebrity Apprentice, he said he really dislikes reality shows but did that one for the opportunity to raise money and awareness of Alzheimer's disease. Cassidy said he is "gearing up to lecture and record public service announcements." I haven't seen or heard one yet. In the article he says, "My mother has had severe dementia. She's been in nursing care for seven years--almost 5 years now in 24 hour nursing care. She has disappeared. She can't feed herself, she lives in a diaper, and she is my mother. This vibrant, wonderful , beautiful woman is gone. She can't do anything for herself. It is very painful. I am her only surviving relative. I've had to take care of her, and also my wife and kids." He goes on to warn that many of us will be facing this plight in the future and that it is going to be an epidemic and that we need to be very proactive about it. I hope he starts those PSAs soon. His voice is needed to raise awareness and educate. I think it is happening as we are seeing plot lines and characters with dementia in dramas (and comedies) more and more.
I did turn on the show and when the older man came in his wheel chair looking out of it I immediately changed the channel. My husband said "I thought you wanted to watch this show" my response "no I didn't like that actor" ....which one he asked. My response "the man". After reading your post so glad I did, would not want to have that conversation and explain that all night !!!! I will DVR the rerun and watch it alone. I to will be interested in how it was portrayed. That's why Matlock and Have gun will travel work well :)