How can a person living with dementia live a happy and fulfilling life? How can we prepare partners for what to expect when a loved one is diagnosed with dementia? Dementia and Living Well, a new episode from VPM’s Dementia Documentary Series, answers these questions and more.
Watch the new episode here or anytime on the PBS App.
“By creating these documentaries over the years we’ve learned there is research showing that a positive and healthy lifestyle can play a significant role in reducing the negative effects of dementia-related symptoms,” said VPM executive producer Mason Mills. “This film shows that having support from a loved one or a group can make a huge difference in the quality of life for the whole family.”
Over six million people in the United States are living with a type of dementia without a cure. Dementia and Living Well details how people are navigating both their everyday lives and how they are change-makers in their communities. The new episode explores a nationwide network of new paradigm organizations that partner with and support them. The goal of the program is to help people understand that it's possible to live well with a form of dementia for the millions of families and loved ones living with it every day.
“It has been my honor to introduce new perspectives on the dementia ‘tragedy narrative,’” said series creator and producer Jacquelyn Holley Pogue. “I went on this journey with my husband, Robert, until he died in 2018, which has afforded me the perspective to share my learnings through these documentaries,” Pogue explained. “It’s been an opportunity to deepen my expression of love and understanding for my husband. I’m a better person because of this experience and I’m forever grateful to all those who participated in this series.”
Dementia and Living Well airs Tuesday, November 26th at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS and is the fourth installment out of VPM’s four-part Dementia Documentary Series. The episode is available to audiences now during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month, which is a time to bring awareness to the disease and highlight the positive impact of caregivers. Dementia and Living Well premiered on Nov. 3 at the 47th annual Virginia Film Festival.
In part one of the series titled Alzheimer's: The Caregiver's Perspective, care partners share their diverse experiences of caring for their loved ones in the world of dementia.
Part two of the docuseries, Revolutionizing Dementia Care, reveals how people living with dementia can still live a full and meaningful life based on their abilities, not their disabilities. Innovative approaches in memory care communities have shown improvements in their well-being.
Part three of the series, Alzheimer’s: What You CAN Do, focuses on the research showing how our social interactions, diet, sleep exercise, stress levels and daily health habits have dramatic effects on our cognitive abilities as we age.
