This article provides a list of media documents portraying Alzheimer's disease as a critical feature of the main plot:
1949 Death of a Salesman; while not mentioned in the script by name, Willy Loman exhibits many notable signs of the disease.
1981 Chillysmith Farm documents the aging and death of a grandfather in the bosom of his family, so that he could live and die among the people he loved.
1986 Sonia by Paule Baillargeon "I Forget" by SNFU from If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish
1987 An Alzheimer's Story This documentary provides the rare opportunity of following a family with an Alzheimer's victim for two years The More We Get Together The More We Get Together gives insights into working with very old, disoriented, nursing home residents (Demented). No Place Like Home: Long Term Care For the Elderly Providing home care rather than institutionalized care is often less costly to the public and more desirable for the older person (including frail and demented).
1988 Aging in Soviet Georgia: A Toast to Sweet Old Age, an in-depth look at the culture and experience of normal aging in the area of the world often called an "epicenter of longevity".
1990 Can't Afford to Grow Old, the reality of aging is that there is no help in paying for a nurse or a housekeeper if you become disabled and need assistance
1991 Grace is a documentary that profiles the life of Grace Kirkland, beginning shortly after her diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and ending at her death seven years later. The documentary tracks Grace through the progression of her symptoms and the changing role of her caregiver husband, Glenn Kirkland. This Whiteford-Hadary production was aired on American public television stations in 1991 and has received a regional Emmy Award.Grace. University of Maryland. School of Medicine. Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
1992 Communicating With The "Alzheimer-Type" Population The two vignettes depicted in this video show typical examples of troublesome behavior in very old people who are disoriented
1993 Black Daisies for The Bride: A filmed play written by the poet Tony Harrison, based on the lives and experiences of people with Alzheimer's living in High Royds Hospital, Yorkshire. The play uses a combination of drama, documentary and music. The patients, their families and the staff play themselves, with the exception of a few professional actors.
1994 Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter by Deborah Hoffmann
1995 Alzheimer's Disease: Inside Looking Out by Terra Nova
1996 Forget Me Never When Diana McGowin got hopelessly lost driving home, she knew something was terribly wrong. Because she was only fifty-two, the doctors did not suspect Alzheimer's . After three years of tests they concluded she had a rare form called "early onset" which can strike victims as early as their thirties.
1997 ABC News Primetime Alzheimer's Dogs Meet Crystal, a dog who has the job of keeping tabs on her owner who has Alzheimer's disease. Crystal was trained by a volunteer group called Okada in 1986 to provide hearing guide dogs for the deaf but has added Alzheimer's dogs as her latest project. Airdate: April 9, 1997.
1998 The Safe House, portrays an aging spy having difficulties convincing people his information is not paranoia associated with Alzheimer's.
1999 Forget Me Never Canadian-American film produced in 1999 The Caregiver, a book by Aaron Alterra about an elderly man detailing the progression of his wife's Alzheimer's, how he cared for her and the effect it had on his life. John Bayley, the husband of Iris Murdoch, who died of the disease in 1999, wrote of this book that it was "the best and most expert book on Alzheimer's that I have read and it should be closely studied by every caregiver." Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell
2000 I Know A Song: A Journey With Alzheimer's Disease This documentary shows that Alzheimer's disease need not be the end of a loving relationship. The Chinese Hospice In Beijing stands the only hospital in China to specialize in allowing people approaching the end of their lives to die with dignity. "She Misses Him", written by Tim Johnson and performed by Tim Rushlow. The song is about an Alzheimer's victim.
2001 Iris, a film that depicts the story of Anglo-Irish novelist Iris Murdoch and her relationship with John Bayley. The film contrasts the start of their relationship and their later life, when Murdoch (played by Dame Judi Dench) was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Iris. IMDb. The internet Movie Database Retrieved on 2008-01-24. The film is based on Bayley's memoir Elegy for Iris. Amanda's Choice, a film that discusses early-onset Alzheimer's, a much rarer form of the disease. Beautiful Memories (Se souvenir des belles choses), a French film about a young mother with early-onset Alzheimer's.
2002 Stolen Memories: Alzheimer's Disease, a film by Rachel Stace and Rebecca Mellor. Filmed over ten months, Stolen Memories follows three people in their fifties who have been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
2003 Age No Problem, a film about a company based in Needham, Massachusetts, which only employs elderly staff members The Alzheimer Case Dying at Grace A Song for Martin Long Shadows: Stories from a Jewish Home, a film that examines the impact of institutionalizing the care of aging survivors of Holocaust who must transition to an old-age facility. Dementia, memory loss and physical immobility.
2004 The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's, a documentary aired on PBS, Emmy award winner A Moment to Remember is a Korean film which depicts the story of a young couple where the wife who has Alzheimer's. The Notebook, a film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's book, depicts a woman with Alzheimer's and how her husband copes with the disease. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling star. SONNY BOY is the story of the cross-country journey of Soleil Moon Frye, and her father, Virgil Frye, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
2005 The first three seasons of the TV series Grey's Anatomy featured a running subplot of Meredith Grey's struggle, first to keep her mother's (Ellis Grey) Alzheimer's a secret, and then to cope with her mother's disease as her state worsened. Thanmathra (Malayalam: Molecule) is an Indian Malayalam film directed by Blessy which portrays the effects of Alzheimer's disease on the life of an individual and his family.Thanmathra. Webindia123.com Retrieved on 2008-01-24. "Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company"
2006 Memories of Tomorrow, a Japanese film, starring Ken Watanabe, tells a story of a 49-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's disease and burden of care put on his wife. Away from Her is English Canadian actor Sarah Polley's directorial debut. The film is based on Alice Munro's short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain", from the 2001 collection "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage". The film stars Gordon Pinsent and Julie Christie as a couple whose marriage is tested when Christie's character begins to suffer from Alzheimer's and moves into a nursing home, where she loses virtually all memory of her husband and begins to develop a romance with another nursing home resident.Chris Kaltenbach, , Baltimore Sun (May 18, 2007)http://www.eyeweekly.com/archived/archived/article/18994 Zulene: Lady in RedArchived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Family Matters: Coming Together for Alzheimer's Christine and Paul- A Journey With Alzheimer's Disease Christine, a 46-year-old mother of three, with a distinguished career in science, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Recently divorced from an abusive husband, the news sent her into a tailspin, and was emotionally devastating for her daughters, as well. Three years after her diagnosis, she met Paul Bryden, a former diplomat. Despite her diagnosis, they fell in love and married; two super achievers, with one embarking on an inevitable journey of decline. Quick Brown Fox
2007 Malcolm and Barbara — A Love Story (1999) TV documentaries and Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell (2007), featured Malcolm Pointon who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 51. Over a period of 14 years Paul Watson followed Malcolm and Barbara Pointon's lives. The documentary follows the couple as Malcolm succumbs to the disease and shows the harsh reality faced by caregivers. The 2007 programme was the target of controversy when initial media claims that the finale purported to show Malcolm's death from the disease, but insider sources revealed that in the closing shots of the documentary actually show Malcolm slipping into a coma from which he never recovered. The argument overshadowed the importance of the documentary, and when it aired on 8 August 2007 the narrator informs us that "Malcolm is in a coma, and dies three days later."Malcolm and Barbara...A Love Story. Dfgdocs. The British Documentary Website. Retrieved on 2008-01-24.Alzheimer's film-maker to face ITV lawyers. MediaGuardian (2007-08-07). Retrieved on 2008-01-24. And Then There Were Four The film depicts such a situation as we see the daily life of a frail 77- year-old grandmother who is raising four grandsons aged 5–8 The BBC radio soap opera The Archers has had a long-running subplot about the development of the character Jack Woolley Alzheimer's disease, winning a Mental Health Media Award in 2007. My Name Is Lisa, a short film about Alzheimer's disease Still Alice, a novel by Lisa Genova, depicts Alice Howland, a 50-year-old linguistics professor coping with early onset Alzheimer's
2008 Terry Pratchett Documentaries, In April 2008, the BBC began working with Terry Pratchett to make a documentary series based on his illness. The first part (of two) was broadcast on BBC Two on 4 February 2009. "Mum and Me" a BBC documentary made by Sue Bourne about her mothers Alzheimer's U, Me aur Hum (translates as: You, me and us) a Bollywood film, with Kajol Devgan playing an Alzheimer's disease patient. Ruth's Locket, Alzheimer's Short Film, Summer 2008 The Alzheimer Sea Exploring the slow erosion of personality that this disease inflicts Annie Girardot, ainsi va la vie, a documentary film by Nicolas Baulieu Choke, a 2008 film by Clark Gregg Diminished Capacity with Alan Alda and Matthew Broderick Pandora's Box
2009 The Alzheimer's Project films The Alzheimer's Project consists of a series of 4 films. The anchor of the series is Momentum in Science which features 25 leading scientists, a primetime state-of-the-science report revealing the most cutting-edge research advances. The three additional primetime specials (The Memory Lost Tapes; Grandpa, Will You Remember Me? with Maria Shriver; and Caregivers) capture what it means to experience the disease, to be a child or grandchild of one who suffers, and to care for those who are affected. The project includes four documentaries, 15 short films, a book, a community outreach program and a website Forgetful Not Forgotten You Are Here, film I Remember Better When I Paint is an international documentary inspired by the story of Hilda Goldblatt Gorenstein (Hilgos) that focuses on how the creative arts can help Alzheimer's patients re-engage in life. The film is narrated by Academy Award winning actress Olivia de Havilland. Featured in the documentary is Yasmin Aga Khan, president of Alzheimer's Disease International and daughter of Rita Hayworth, who had Alzheimer's. The French version of the film "Je me souviens mieux quand je peins" was released in September 2009 as part of French Alzheimer Association's awareness raising activities on World Alzheimer's Day. The film is co-directed by Eric Ellena and Berna Huebner Alzheimer's Disease: Facing the Facts received the 2009 Boston/New England Emmy award I Forgot to Tell You by Omar Sharif L'oeil de Verre, a film by Fréderick Compain about the work of William Utermohlen, (in Paris) Living With Alzheimer's