By: Christy Pagans
Growing Old is a simple, documentary film that portrays a wide array of real seniors facing the real issues of aging. The participants range from an active, 74-year-old waitress to formerly homeless individuals living in nursing homes that serve low-income populations.
None of the participants are glamorous, or even overtly exceptional, but each individual’s true and unique voice comes through in their interviews with the director.
Together, the participants paint a poignant picture of how different lifestyles, perspectives, and approaches to aging significantly alter the senior experience. The participants touch on several of the major social and political issues that surround aging in our society. They speak to the importance of “thinking young” and the dire need to “stay busy to stay around”.
Additionally, a physician, a nursing home director, and a non-profit administrator present some of the viewpoints of senior-serving professionals. These professionals address the importance of autonomy to the senior population, the challenges and rewards inherent in their professions and the desperate need to more fully acknowledge and address the needs of an aging population.
For more information on the film, including a trailer and bios, visit the Growing Old website.
This article was reprinted with permission from Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook, to access the original article and additional senior living resources in VA, MD, DC, DE, PA, NJ click here.