New documentary highlights the challenges and triumphs of being a family caregiver in the US

There’s a new documentary airing on PBS called, Caregiving. Actor Bradley Cooper served as an executive producer and at the beginning of the film, he discusses the emotional impact caring for his father had on him.

The bulk of the film focuses on average Americans who are faced with a healthcare crisis in their family and how they attempt to navigate America’s broken healthcare system to access essential services. When that fails, caregivers are forced to take on the burden all on their own. I definitely could relate to many of the challenges these caregivers faced, from job loss to the extra stress of being a sole care provider. I also like that the film showcases stories of care recipients and caregivers who are a variety of ages. Caregiving is not just for the young and the old; any of us can be faced with an unexpected health issue that we are not prepared for and will upend our lives.

While the stories shared in the documentary are sobering, there are moments of triumph and a historic overview of care in America, and how advocates over the decades have made a real difference in how care services have evolved. There’s no question that more resources and support are needed, especially as we grapple with a rapidly aging America. There are some positive developments at the state level, with funding programs for paid leave being approved by voters but nationally, even though Americans in polls claim to support additional care funding, they often don’t vote in their best interest.

Politicians claim they can’t stomach the cost of programs like paid family leave, yet studies (and common sense) shows that the longer you can support an elder aging in place at home, the more reasonable the cost compared to having Medicaid pay the expense of a nursing home. Meanwhile, family caregivers provide billions of dollars in free labor each year, to fill the gaps the government refuses to cover.

Caring Across Generations is featured prominently in the Caregiving documentary, which I’m glad to see, as I’ve participated in events with them in the past. I appreciate their practical yet compassionate approach to caregiving issues, and their focus on being inclusive, as caregiving is something that touches all of our lives at some point.

I hope you get a chance to watch the documentary. I’d love to hear your thoughts.