OUTSIDE, LOOKING

Alzheimer's Awareness Documentary

Who can sense the first moments of a connection lost, a face forgotten, a path interrupted
with the first intimations of an undergrowth that will, in time, obscure all remembrance
of destinations charted, aspirations dreamt? At what stroke of what eternal clock
does the death of reason begin? And once struck, how do those who increasingly find themselves
outside looking in upon the ebbs and flows of life, honor the time passed,
celebrate the time remaining, and grieve the time lost with those whose lives they share?

Aging baby-boomers are unlikely to relinquish themselves, or those they love, to progressively debilitating dementias without a fight. Our documentary and educational tools, told primarily through the voices of individuals in the earliest stages of cognitive decline, will provide insight into the triumphs and challenges of an eventuality that is expected to affect one American every 33 seconds by mid-century.

By exploring the landscapes of minds that are sporadically, yet increasingly, chaotic, we hope to reveal the remaining essence of what it means to be human, challenging the perceptions of a youth-dominated culture obsessed with the speed and efficiency of information processing to the exclusion of accumulated wisdom and emotional intelligence. By inspiring a reevaluation of our perceptions of what it means to be human, we hope to improve the quality of life of those experiencing progressive cognitive decline – and, in doing so, our own.

Targeted Audience

Although Outside, Looking has particular relevance for people in the earliest stages of a progressive loss of cognitive skills, it is primarily intended to raise the awareness of the wider community, from family and professional care partners, to clergy, public policy decision makers, and the general public.

Project Components

• A 70-90 minute documentary filmed in high definition video format
• Approximately 30, two to four minute, Web- and DVD- based, topic-directed educational modules with downloadable tip sheets in the form of printable PDF's
• A Web- and DVD-based readers theater transcript of the film
• A Web-based compilation of all interview material searchable by topic
• An interactive Web-based community for sharing concerns and support relevant to those in the earliest stages of progressive cognitive decline