HBO Documentary Tells Real-Life Stories About Five Alzheimer’s In-Home Caregivers

Caregivers, an inspiring HBO documentary about the lives of five family caregivers who are caring for spouses or parents with Alzheimer’s disease, is available to watch for free at HBO’s The Alzheimer’s Project website (http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers/caregivers.html).

The film shows five men and women caregivers openly discussing the challenges of dealing with changes in their loved ones, their own health concerns, and their feelings of loss and frustration. They also share the ways they cope, and how they find joy by staying in the present and savoring small, everyday moments.

Two seniors with Alzheimer’s are also featured, talking about changes in their brain functions, and how they adapt and stay positive.

The 48-minute film is one of four documentaries produced for The Alzheimer’s Project, a collaboration of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, along with the Alzheimer’s Association and two national charitable gift funds.

One of the most devastating forms of memory loss is Alzheimer’s disease, says The Alzheimer’s Project at its website. Alzheimer’s is estimated to affect as many as 5 million Americans—a number that could rise to more than 11 million as the baby boom generation moves through retirement.

While there is no cure for the disease, The Alzheimer’s Project shows there is now reason for optimism about the future. The documentary series looks at groundbreaking discoveries made by leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating condition on those with Alzheimer’s and their families.