What They Had: Film Review

21 January 2018.

It took me two months to watch this What They Had (2018).

The film was neither too long nor too boring.

Quite the contrary.

It was very engaging, but it was also challenging.

Written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, What They Had conveys the complexities a family faces when someone is living with dementia, the most prevalent form being Alzheimer's Disease.

This 2018 film (which in the US primarily showed at film festivals, such as Sundance) focuses on one family's response to Ruth, played by Blythe Danner.

Ruth is the matriarch and former nurse whose memory problems lead to her wandering--during a snow storm--from her Chicago home, which she shares with her husband, Norbert (played by Robert Forster). 

This is frightening enough when people wander in nice weather. However, Ruth has disappeared into the city during a snow storm.

This becomes a catalyst for the son, Nick, played by Michael Shannon, to put in motion a solution for his parents' age-related challenges. Nick does what he thinks is the most obvious, practical, and objective response to advanced age: place mother in an assisted living center.

Their father, Norbert, disagrees--vehemently.

Learning from MAIA 2019 Sponsors and Exhibitors

The 12th Annual MAIA swag bag

This year was the fourth time that I have attended the Mid-America Institute on Aging and Wellness.

Here is my conference preview, which includes social media accounts when applicable. This year's event included four fabulous, nationally recognized keynote speakers and 40 amazing local experts who led discussions/activities in concurrent sessions on August 8 & 9 - 2019.

The event qualifies as a means for healthcare professionals to earn CME credit, but the participants include university students, family caregivers, and adults of all ages who are pro-active about maintaining their wellness across the lifespan.

It's never too early to start aging well! 

The hosts are

• University of Southern Indiana.  
  
  Many organizations on USI's campus support this annual event, but a special shout out goes to the USI Outreach Office, the College of Nursing and Health Professions, led by Dr. Ann White, dean. And The Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness, led by Dr. Katie Ehlman
  ..

• SWIRCA & More 
  
  SWIRCA & More is an Indiana Area Agency on Aging (and more), located in Evansville in SW Indiana but SWIRCA & More covers six Indiana counties: Gibson, Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, & Warrick. 

I have written previously about the 40 or more MAIA speakers. I gained this opportunity to attend after moving to the tristate of IL, IN, KY in 2016. (You can find links to my 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 MAIA reviews / previews at the very end of this post.)

However, this is the first time I am writing about the sponsors and exhibitors.