Cyber-Seniors: Film Review

Released 9 May 2014.

I know, "So many movies, so little time.

This movie was exhilarating. Watch it!  I am so happy that it finally made its way to the top of my queue.

Cyber-Seniors (2014) is a documentary about a group of teenagers who mentor a group of older adults on how to use computers.

The documentary shows the older adults gaining skills in using the mouse, using menus and then using programs such as browsers, social media sites and video viewing sites.

But this partnership isn't limited to a one-way transfer of information. No way. 

The older adults also get an opportunity to talk to the teens about their extended families, their work experience, their military experience, and their present challenges and opportunities.  I was moved to tears while watching the older participants use technology to express their feelings, to share their interests, to connect with their extended families and to offer their perspective on life.

Caregiving for Three Weeks

Photo by MTSOfan.

I rarely blog about my teens. They prefer that I don't. However, I'm going to make an exception here. Let me apologize in advance for being a bit vague.

One of my kids broke a bone on June 11th while traveling down a water slide.  It was the collar bone, which will require about 3 to 5 weeks to heal.

When I mentioned this on my Facebook page, more than a dozen midlife friends reported having broken a collar bone that now healed.  I'm happy to hear all of these reports.

A few reported that decades later, they do have some issues.  Some have a little trouble sleeping on that side and reported feeling a little cold-weather-related pain.  These long-term affects seem very manageable.

Nevertheless, I find myself hovering. It's been a week since the fracture, and I'm still functioning as an extra pair of hands. The doctor's orders were "Keep that left side immobile."  OK!

I've read a great deal about caregiving, but I'm living it for the first time.

TV or Not TV: Images of Older Adults

Photo by John Atherton. 

Because I review so many movies featuring older adults, people sometimes recommend that I watch specific series or episodes that depict older characters.

I might start reviewing television shows. I might not.

My first impulse is to stick with movies and books. I find greater character development and a broader spectrum of depictions in films.

I feel as though feature films and documentaries offer greater insights and epiphanies than television series.

Many characters on television shows are flat, unchanging and based on stereotypes.

This is more true of comedies, in my opinion, than television dramas or investigative journalism programs.

But I can't think of one television drama that focuses on age-related challenges.  I have, however,  viewed / reviewed several episodes of age-specific episodes of Frontline.