As the population ages, many adults are grappling with an unprecedented social, economic and personal revolution as they transition into the primary caregiver role for their aging parents. With family members now responsible for 80 percent of eldercare in the United States, nearly every generation is feeling the ripple effects of the aging process. Caring for Your Parents, airing Wednesday, April 2 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET1 and KET HD, draws attention to this emotional and universal reality. The program comprises a moving 90-minute documentary followed by a 30-minute panel discussion led by Dr. Art Ulene.
Through an intimate look at five American families, the first 90 minutes of Caring for Your Parents underscore today’s struggle to keep parents at home, the tensions among siblings and the complexity of shifting caregiver roles.
“Aging is the chapter in life that is too often skimmed over. However, it is a critical topic that directly impacts all of us, or will in the very near future,” says the documentary’s producer, award-winning filmmaker Michael Kirk. “It’s imperative that we turn to our loved ones today, so we are prepared for what happens tomorrow.”
The documentary examines the care-giving process through the experiences of families from varying cultural and economic backgrounds, revealing their struggles to keep parents at home. It shows the impact of care-giving on marriages and reveals the financial repercussions of eldercare. Through the stories of five families, viewers glimpse the emotional and physical effects of care-giving that often go unnoticed. Heartbreaking stories explore the decision to stop driving, loss of independence and friction between care-givers and medical professionals.
Kentuckians can contact the Kentucky Resource Market for Aging and Disability Programs and Services, which offers local resources for dealing with this issue, by calling 877-293-7447.
Caring for Your Parents is produced by Kirk Documentary Group, Ltd., for WGBH/Boston.
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