Book and Films to Help You Embrace the Slowness of the Season
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Is there anything better than curling up with a good book or settling in to watch a film on a fall evening? If you’re looking for new things to read and watch, we’ve got you covered! Check out our recommendations below and let us know your favorites in the comments!
Books
This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism by Ashton Applewhite
Ashton Applewhite’s This Chair Rocks explores the roots of ageism and its impact on society while leading the charge for a more inclusive, age-friendly world.
Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia and Elder Care by Anne Basting
In Creative Care Anne Basting shares how a combination of creative methods including theater, improvisation, and evidence-based therapies can help foster meaningful connections with those living with dementia and bring joy to elders, families, friends and caregivers.
The Lightmaker's Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy by Karen Walrond
In The Lightmaker's Manifesto, Walrond guides readers in discovering their skills, values, and passions to inspire joyful advocacy for justice and change. Through practical exercises and conversations with activists, the book encourages living with integrity, empathy, and purpose.
The Vintage Years: Finding Your Inner Artist After Sixty by Francine Tode, PhD.
Francine Toder discusses how our lives can be “supercharged” through the arts, including mediums such as creative writing, painting, playing a musical instrument and more!
How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations by Marc Freedman
Marc Freedman speaks on why older adults should connect with younger generations in purposeful ways and the positive effect it can have on our health, happiness, and wellbeing.
Films
Still Dreaming
Rogerson and Spitzmiller. Philomath Films. 2014.
A group of elderly former Broadway performers at the Lillian Booth Actors Home take on a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, facing both the challenges and joys of returning to their craft amidst the realities of old age. As they navigate memory loss, physical limitations, and emotional struggles, the play’s themes of perception and memory take on new meaning, culminating in a powerful and unexpected performance.
I Remember Better When I Paint
Eric Ellena and Berna Huebner. French Connection Films, 2009.
I Remember Better When I Paint, narrated by Olivia de Havilland, is the first documentary highlighting the positive effects of art and creative therapies on people with Alzheimer's, offering a new perspective on the condition.
The Genius of Marian
Banker White. 2014.
The Genius of Marian is a poignant documentary that explores one family's emotional journey as Pam White, diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at 61, navigates the irreversible changes brought by the disease. As her husband transitions into the role of caregiver and her children mourn the gradual loss of their mother, Pam reflects on her memories, including those of her mother, Marian Williams Steele, who also had Alzheimer's.