Film ReviewsBacking Out of Time: Alzheimer's and AlaskaNov 7, 2014, Anchorage Press
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Backing Out of Time is a documentary that narrates the experiences of five Alaskan families as they navigate the emotionally complex journey of caring for aging parents suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ADRD). The filmmakers followed the families over three years. The one-hour long documentary by Mary Katzke and Affinity Films will be screened in Anchorage at the Bear Tooth on November 12 as part of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month. The showing on November 12 is not the film's premier, so the filmmakers will have an opportunity to fine-tune the almost-final cut.
The title of the film refers to a person retreating from his or her memories as a result of ADRD, a fast-growing condition afflicting increasing number of seniors in America, including Alaska. The title was spoken by one of the daughters in the film as she tried to explain what it was like to care for her mother as she went through the various stages of dementia. According to statistics presented in the film, one in nine seniors will be diagnosed with ADRD. A recent study done for the Alaska Pioneer Homes, a state-run senior housing and residential care program with six locations around Alaska, states that the population of Baby Boomers is expected to grow steadily in Alaska for the next 15 to 20 years. As a result, Alaska Pioneer Homes estimates that it may need to increase its bed count by at least 200 to help meet the increasing demand in the near future.
The families in Backing Out of Time are from different communities in Alaska and have connections outside the state. They are from different social and economic backgrounds. These contrasts serve to highlight the shared dynamics that families undergo in dealing with the impacts of ADRD. The filmmakers interweave the stories to have them arrive at similar places, through parallel narratives coinciding with the progression of ADRD. One of the most compelling stories in Backing Out of Time is that of Violet and her mother, Francesca, Filipino immigrants living in Kodiak, Alaska. Francesca's dementia went unperceived until the day she started a fire while trying to cook and her house burnt down. The pressure that Francesca's condition placed on the household, where Violet is raising her three boys as a single mother, is heartbreaking. As a Kodiak School District employee, Violet only gets a salary for nine months out of the year making the financial burden even more immediate. In prioritizing her mother's care, Violet uses up whatever leave she has. Her frankness reveals the emotional toil of balancing the welfare of her children with her duty to Francesca. Even with the help of her middle son, Violet's efforts are immense and the balance is easily disrupted if even something small like her mother's sleeping schedule goes awry. Francesca died before the documentary was finished, and unfortunately, viewers are left without the closure provided in the other stories, as the documentary does not circle back to follow up with Violet after Francesca's death.
Backing Out of Time gives viewers an intimate look at the toll that ADRD takes on families, but more importantly, it shows how resilient and how compassionate people can be when confronted with caring for a loved one who is slowly slipping away. The caretakers in Backing Out of Time all find different ways of managing care for their parents. Viewers will no doubt notice that all five caretakers are female. Katzke told the Press that she looked for male caretakers but what she found is that caretakers were primarily women. In the case of Greta Artman and her mother, Betty, Greta's two brothers provided financial and other support while Greta took care of Betty. Greta told the Press that the siblings were always close, but having to care for their mom made them even closer, she said, "We are better together, everyone had a part in it. In the end, you want to have done a good job."
Backing Out of Time uses rudimentary but effective animation that educates viewers on the known progression of the disease. The musical score helps with transitions between settings and themes. The documentary uses limited re-enactments, which, given the tone of most of the film seems out of place. The film is in a grey area, it's too long to be considered a short film, and not long enough to be a feature length documentary. As it stands, the film will provide viewers with pertinent information and give those who are living with the reality of ADRD a sense of what to expect and the benefits of a shared experience.
Backing Out of Time reminds viewers that life is a cycle, that human beings often need as much help at the end of their lives as they do the beginnings. The grown children who take care of their parents in Backing Out of Time do so out of love. One hopes that the values of caretaking are passed on to the younger generations that are also featured in the film, both directly interacting with their grandparents and just watching from the sidelines.
The film's website, backingoutoftime.com, is a valuable resource for viewers who need or want to know more about ADRD.
Backing Out of Time plays at the Bear Tooth on Weds., Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m.
The title of the film refers to a person retreating from his or her memories as a result of ADRD, a fast-growing condition afflicting increasing number of seniors in America, including Alaska. The title was spoken by one of the daughters in the film as she tried to explain what it was like to care for her mother as she went through the various stages of dementia. According to statistics presented in the film, one in nine seniors will be diagnosed with ADRD. A recent study done for the Alaska Pioneer Homes, a state-run senior housing and residential care program with six locations around Alaska, states that the population of Baby Boomers is expected to grow steadily in Alaska for the next 15 to 20 years. As a result, Alaska Pioneer Homes estimates that it may need to increase its bed count by at least 200 to help meet the increasing demand in the near future.
The families in Backing Out of Time are from different communities in Alaska and have connections outside the state. They are from different social and economic backgrounds. These contrasts serve to highlight the shared dynamics that families undergo in dealing with the impacts of ADRD. The filmmakers interweave the stories to have them arrive at similar places, through parallel narratives coinciding with the progression of ADRD. One of the most compelling stories in Backing Out of Time is that of Violet and her mother, Francesca, Filipino immigrants living in Kodiak, Alaska. Francesca's dementia went unperceived until the day she started a fire while trying to cook and her house burnt down. The pressure that Francesca's condition placed on the household, where Violet is raising her three boys as a single mother, is heartbreaking. As a Kodiak School District employee, Violet only gets a salary for nine months out of the year making the financial burden even more immediate. In prioritizing her mother's care, Violet uses up whatever leave she has. Her frankness reveals the emotional toil of balancing the welfare of her children with her duty to Francesca. Even with the help of her middle son, Violet's efforts are immense and the balance is easily disrupted if even something small like her mother's sleeping schedule goes awry. Francesca died before the documentary was finished, and unfortunately, viewers are left without the closure provided in the other stories, as the documentary does not circle back to follow up with Violet after Francesca's death.
Backing Out of Time gives viewers an intimate look at the toll that ADRD takes on families, but more importantly, it shows how resilient and how compassionate people can be when confronted with caring for a loved one who is slowly slipping away. The caretakers in Backing Out of Time all find different ways of managing care for their parents. Viewers will no doubt notice that all five caretakers are female. Katzke told the Press that she looked for male caretakers but what she found is that caretakers were primarily women. In the case of Greta Artman and her mother, Betty, Greta's two brothers provided financial and other support while Greta took care of Betty. Greta told the Press that the siblings were always close, but having to care for their mom made them even closer, she said, "We are better together, everyone had a part in it. In the end, you want to have done a good job."
Backing Out of Time uses rudimentary but effective animation that educates viewers on the known progression of the disease. The musical score helps with transitions between settings and themes. The documentary uses limited re-enactments, which, given the tone of most of the film seems out of place. The film is in a grey area, it's too long to be considered a short film, and not long enough to be a feature length documentary. As it stands, the film will provide viewers with pertinent information and give those who are living with the reality of ADRD a sense of what to expect and the benefits of a shared experience.
Backing Out of Time reminds viewers that life is a cycle, that human beings often need as much help at the end of their lives as they do the beginnings. The grown children who take care of their parents in Backing Out of Time do so out of love. One hopes that the values of caretaking are passed on to the younger generations that are also featured in the film, both directly interacting with their grandparents and just watching from the sidelines.
The film's website, backingoutoftime.com, is a valuable resource for viewers who need or want to know more about ADRD.
Backing Out of Time plays at the Bear Tooth on Weds., Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m.