Feedback about Love, Loss, and Laughter -- The Film

Thank you to all of you who have shared Corinne's film, Love, Loss, and Laughter. With your help, the film has now been viewed hundreds of times since its release on September 21, World Alzheimer's Day. And this film deserves to be seen, as the Australian film maker, Corinne Maunder has done a beautiful job capturing the images of living positively with dementia, including some touching interviews with people living with the disease.

Below I share with you three emails regarding the film. The first was from Marc Wortmann, Executive Director of Alzheimer's Disease International, who shared the link to the film with his mailing list. The second is from Kate Somers, Curator, The Bernstein Gallery, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. And the third is a personal note to me from Sandy Halperin, A "Cognitive Impairment" Advocate, living with early-stage Alzheimer's. Sandy gave me permission to share his powerful words with you.

I hope you have had a chance to see this 16-minute film and I ask you to share Corinne's work with others, via email, on Facebook, Twitter, or your blogs, because it deserves to be seen! The link is http://youtu.be/bUT3qQFWDvw. Please drop me a line to let me know your thoughts on the film (Cathy@lovelossandlaughter.com) or leave a comment below.

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Dear Friends:

Today is World Alzheimer's Day and I am delighted to let you know that a short film on dementia was released in Australia earlier today. It is produced by Corinne Maunder and reached the finals of a film festival. More information can be found on the website of Alzheimer's Australia, where you can also watch the 16-minute film. I recommend it highly as it connects personal stories with the bigger problem of Alzheimer's and dementia.

You will also see the photos of Cathy Greenblat used, many of you know her book Love, Loss and Laughter and/or have seen the exhibition. It is now making a tour through Australia this year. The photos were used for the first three World Alzheimer Reports.

You can find the link here:

http://www.fightdementia.org.au/film-festival-finalist-captures-the-emotions-of-dementia-.aspx

Have a great day!

Best wishes,
Marc

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Dear Cathy:

Thanks so much for reaching out with this update. I just watched the film. I found myself weeping. But it's not because the film is depressing. It is educating through the heart. It doesn't get more powerful than that.

Good luck with getting the world to watch this important film.

Warm regards,

Kate

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I would like to congratulate Cathy Greenblat for her extraordinary contributions to and for her being being featured in the production of "Love, Laugh and Laughter: Living with Dementia" - produced by Fire Films.

The entirety of this most highly compelling documentary speaks to the importance of not only raising awareness to the number of individuals worldwide who are diagnosed and suffering with dementia, along with their family, friends and loved ones - but highlights the importance of treating and caring for each person who has any level of dementia as a total full-living person - without any stigma attached to it. When you come right down to it, a person with dementia should not be treated any differently than a person without dementia, and Cathy makes that a shining point of that throughout the film.

The film clearly demonstrates that persons that are diagnosed with a cognitive impairment does not mean, in any way whatsoever, that that individual cannot still lead and live a highly productive and active life throughout any stage of the disease that they are in - and Cathy speaks to this issue with true passion and commitment to see that this happens.

Cathy strikes a heartfelt core as she clearly demonstrates how cultures from around the world positively and compassionately treat individuals that are living with dementia. This short film is highly compelling from start to finish and should be on the top of the list for all dementia caregivers and health providers to watch - and to put into tangible action the many issues that she speaks to.

Congratulations Cathy on the work that you have done and continue to do to enhance the lives of those that are living with some form of cognitive impairment or dementia. Cathy, you are a gem of the earth, and folks from around the world will treasure this piece for years to come and this production will serve as a lifelong cornerstone for the world to learn more about the best ways to provide a more complete life to those that unfortunately are stricken with dementia.

Cathy, simply stated, the film is A+++. It's a documentary that you can watch over and over again, and then you will want to share it with as many other individuals that you can. The production is a true gift to the world.

Alexander "Sandy" Halperin, DDS

Alzheimer's (Cognitive Impairment) Advocate and Living with Early-Stage Alzheimer's