Suggested Videos for ELNEC Geriatric Courses

The Space Between: Showcases true hospice and palliative care through the work of an American nurse who built a 24-bed hospice in rural Kenya. Though the work is in Kenya, the main principles of hospice and palliative care are shown throughout this 30-minute documentary.

Detecting Discomfort In Dementia: Focus on Behaviors: This 13 minute educational video is designed to teach nursing assistants (but also can be used for any health care provider) to identify the behaviors that cognitively impaired nursing home residents may show when they are in pain or discomfort, and to understand the ways they can help cognitively impaired residents get relief of their pain or discomfort. An accompanying booklet “Tools for In-services Education” contains a discussion guide, role play, and knowledge test, as well as suggestions for how to introduce the video and adapt it for education geared toward culture change. Available from the Alliance of State Pain Initiatives Resource Center.   

Dementia Care Comforts is one of a series of video clips produced by Hospice of the Valley as part of their comprehensive Dementia Program. The program's goals and strategies are designed to bring comfort, dignity, and quality of life to persons with advanced dementia. The video series provides excellent information on the progression of dementia, managing behaviors, medication management, health care decisions and using hospice care. In addition, their nationally known staff have developed educational materials for caregivers and healthcare professionals, including these Dementia Care videos. View more information about Hospice of the Valley’s dementia program and resources or contact by calling (602) 636-6363 or emailing emaildementia@hov.org.

If the World Was a Village of 100 People: This is a 4 ½ minute depiction of this complex world if the world had 100 people. See a shorter 2010 version. 

Sunset Story: This documentary drama is set against the backdrop of a retirement home in Los Angeles. The film goes inside the world of two women, Irja (81) and Lucille (95), whose feisty engagement with life draws them together inextricably. The story follows Irja and Lucille for a period of several months venturing out together (i.e., manicures, political protests and meals at their favorite deli). Then, when Lucille receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, Irja must confront the possibility of losing her lifeline “friend.” 

Minnie Remembers: This short film (~ 6 minutes) has been adapted from the Donna Swanson poem of the same name. It focuses on an old woman, sitting alone, who reminisces about the past. By using flashbacks, it contrasts the warmth and love which has typified her youth and womanhood with the very evident loneliness and isolation of her present state. She yearns to be touched and loved, emotions to which an audience of any age can relate. This film demonstrates the needs and feelings of the elderly which are the same as any other age group. It poses many interesting questions about aging and the poignant situation in which many elderly persons of both sexes find themselves; it is deeply moving and bound to be a basis for much discussion by all age groups.

Peege: This touching, poignant film portrays a family’s Christmas visit to their grandmother, a patient in a nursing home, and their sense of despair and isolation as they struggle vainly to communicate. But when other family members leave the room, the grandson stays behind, touching her hand and her hair and reminiscing about Peege as a laughing, fun-loving person. The young man leaves, tearful and unsure whether he penetrated her dark loneliness. "Peege" was one of 25 films added in 2007, to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, which recognized this renowned production as "extremely moving." To order contact Phoenix Learning Group.

The Pause: This video, “The Pause," demonstrates a brief acknowledgement of the patient's humanity just after death has been declared in the critical care setting. For more information on The Pause, go to  https://thepause.me/